Law and Love
by MaisaG
Summary: Join Jack and Ennis on their adventures as high powered attorneys, working at the famous Magnet Firm. Jack is a rich, New York bachelor, son of the big boss, and openly gay. Ennis is a country boy who had to fight his way to the top.
1. New Job and new life

_**Law & Love**_

_Brokeback Mountain_ story is based on characters and situations created and owned by Annie Proulx. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

This fanfiction takes place in 2007. The characters are not exactly Jack and Ennis of the movie but they have similar personalities. Everything else maybe be completely different! This is actually my first fanfiction and English is not my main language so please forgive me for the mistakes!

**Warning:** Graphic sex. Adult situations discussed in adult language.

**Summary:** Ennis x Jack

_What would have happened if Jack and Ennis had been born a few years later? What if they're famous lawyers working in the same firm? Would Ennis still be afraid of his feelings? Would Jack let happiness run away?_

_**Author's Note: **__Thank you so very much for my friend _Kathy (**kittie8571**_) who is the Beta of this story!_

* * *

**Chapter One: New Job**** and new life**

Ennis stood there in front of the phone thinking about what had just happened. How had his dream become reality? How had the "red neck" Ennis Del Mar become a successful lawyer? The emotions were playing in his head and he felt his mind spinning. It had been a long journey but at the same time it seemed like only yesterday he was living on the ranch. He could still remember how his life used to be…

When he was a kid, working hard on his dad's farm, watching the other men working from sunup to sundown, he had found a dream. His deepest and most secret dream. One day he was going to be rich and happy, living in New York, just like the men he saw on the TV commercials. It was a rather farfetched dream, but it helped him to focus on his studies.

Ennis wasn't the bravest student in class but he was most certainly the best. Every day after school, he would study like there was no tomorrow. The only exception was the time he spent helping his parents. Ennis liked the ranch life but he was hypnotized with his own seductive dream. He could never know how much that would change his life.

When he won the scholarship to Austin, by the age of fourteen, he'd made up his mind. He was going to be a lawyer, just like the main character in his favorite movie. Ennis was impressed with the confidence that lawyers always showed and he wanted desperately to be more like them. Less shy and silent, more confident and outgoing.

Law shcool was hard for him. He was a big guy with a strange accent that no one else seemed to understand. He didn't make many friends and there very few who could truly understand him. He'd lived all his life on the ranch, with his family and friends. There was so much about the world he didn't know.

Things went better when his Philosophy teacher helped him with a few extra lessons. Mr. McGonagal was a wise man who lived in Texas for many years. He understood the difficulties of Ennis's childhood and instructed him about the modern world and everything else he didn't know. During many afternoons and nights, Mr. MCGonagal talked to him about Europe, art and the history of law.

When he graduated in 1999, he was the happiest man on earth. He had taken the first step in fulfilling his dream. But there was a problem. Who would give an inexperienced lawyer like him a job? He had no family name in the business nor another lawyer to help him start out. For years, Ennis worked 12 hours a day, every day of the week. He was determined and completely focused on his career.

Any case he had a chance of working on, he would do it. There were no vacations, no days off. Ennis had absolutely no personal life. Some of his colleagues would joke about it and call him "firm rat" but Ennis would smile and remain silent, in his own, little world.

Soon his name became known among the young attorneys. Ennis had earned himself a reputation for his quiet mannerisms and intelligent decisions, but that only changed in his performance as a lawyer. In his personal life, he was still shy and single, usually preferring his own company to any other. But in court, the intensity of his words and the fire in his eyes always helped him win over the judges. After winning the famous case of the painter murdered in 2003, he knew it was just a matter of time until a large firm would offer him a position.

Now, at the age of thirty, Ennis was becoming the newest member of the Magnet Firm, the most famous firm in New York. More than 40 attorneys working on the most well-known cases all over the world. His ticket to paradise. Paradise for lawyers, of course! He only wished his parents were alive to see this day.

The pain in his heart for his parents loss was still strong. They'd supported him every step of the way, but had failed to see him succeed.

Ennis's mother had difficulty getting pregnant, miscarrying many times before becoming pregnant with Ennis. Only at the age of forty did his mother finally have her first baby. First and only, because Mrs. Del Mar never got pregnant again.

Two years ago, Ennis received a phone call telling him that his parents had died together during their sleep, alone at the ranch. They both had caught a sever cold that had progressed to a much worst pneumonia. Ennis had rejected any thoughts about the situation. It was likely to get sick while ranching and his parents had proved that during the years. But their stubbornness had been the fatal fault. They had both declined any medical help and when the fever had raised higher levels, the ranchers had finally called the local doctor. Nothing was to be done. It was too late for both of them.

And so, Ennis found himself with no family and nothing but memories of the time when he had one. He felt bad for not being there when his parents died and it still hurt him to think that he didn't get to say goodbye, but he had followed his dream and that made his parents proud.

The thought that they had lived happy and died together was a comfort for him. He knew that his mother and father had shared a beautiful love story, unlike most people. He wondered if he would ever find a love like the one his parents had shared. Until now, all he had was one night stands and failed romances. Was there a woman out there for him?

Ennis had never been very popular with the ladies. He was too shy and silent for the likes of most of them. Every time he convinced himself he was in love, the passion and the ardor would soon go away and Ennis would end up as lonely as before. He quickly learned to take pleasure in other things in life. He was a lover of most types of sports and liked both watching and playing. He loved a good book or a good movie and would rather enjoy an afternoon at home than going out with friends.

He knew that it was probably unusual and most would say that something was definitely wrong with him. But Ennis learned that none of his colleagues really knew him and most of his "friends" were more familiar acquaintances than anything else. He couldn't ask them to understand him.

He was a loner. There were very few like him. He lived mostly in his head and the opinion of others didn't matter much to him. As long as he was doing what he liked, he was happy enough.

He walked to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. The blond young man he saw was shining with happiness, perhaps for the very first time in his entire life.

But still there was something missing in his life. Something that Ennis wasn't sure he would be able to find.

Looking closely he could see.

There was a story in his eyes. A story full of sacrifices and victories. But when he looked back at himself, what he saw most was the loneliness of thirty years of fight.

* * *

Ennis tried to unpack the last box of clothes. After almost four hours of unpacking, he was completely exhausted. There were still so many things he needed to sort out. 

"What did I get myself into?" Ennis said to the empty room while he carried a box full of books.

His new apartment was a few miles from the Magnet Firm. The building was an example of modernity and beauty. Big windows, silver style and lots of light. Different from every other apartment he had lived in. The flats came with furniture, which was perfect for Ennis. He never really liked interior design and he often considered himself to have poor taste in furniture and the like.

He observed the view from the living room window. Surrounding his building were many other buildings. An urban forest of cars, people and buildings. Full with colors and sounds he had never seen before. _You don't know the meaning of the word city, until you've lived in New York._ Someone once told him that many years ago and Ennis could only now understand the full meaning of those words.

Ennis was surprised when the bell rang. He'd only just arrived that morning and all the neighbors had already visited him. A nice young woman called Veronica, an old man (fan of the Beatles) and a couple of others that Ennis couldn't remember the names of. They told him that the rest of the neighbors were either too busy with their work or currently on vacation.

He didn't know who to expect. Perhaps one of them wanted to offer him help again. Slowly he moved to the door and opened it.

Standing in front of him was a beautiful woman.

"Ennis Del Mar?" she asked.

Dressed in a modern grey suit and wearing extremely high heeled shoes, the woman looked impressive, sort of like a short Barbie. She was small and her eyes were chocolate brown. Her blond hair had long curls, which only made her skin look even paler. Ennis wasn't sure if she was naturally blond but the color looked good on her.

She was also observing him and Ennis could see that her eyes were extremely similar to his and her make-up was natural and fresh. She could be on the cover of a magazine, but that didn't make her look less intellectual.

Ennis thought she looked a lot like him, only female. Finally deciding to answer her, he nodded at her question.

"Yeah, that's me." He said, curious.

"My name is Elizabeth. You don't know me, but I'm from the Magnet Firm. May I come in?" There was a happy tone in her voice and she looked past him to peek inside the apartment.

"Of course." Ennis said, noticing how overly excited the lady was.

"I shouldn't have come unannounced." She said looking at the boxes around the room. "But I couldn't wait. Ennis, may I call you Ennis? I am going to be your godmother at the Magnet!" She said smiling and opening her arms.

"Pardon me?" Ennis was very confused. Was this woman crazy?

"Sorry. I'm too excited to think straight. I am going to help you get acclimated during your first months in the firm. At the Magnet, we call the person that shows you ropes your godmother or godfather." She was smiling and moving like a squirrel, fast and nervously. She looked around the apartment like a ten year old student at a science museum.

"I'd heard something about that. Well, it's a pleasure to meet you. I hope I won't disappoint you." Ennis smiled and shook her hand firmly and then something popped in his mind. "Your not Elizabeth Noris, are you?"

"In the flesh." She said smiling. "But don't believe in everything you heard about me. Most of it's definitely not true."

Ennis was astonished. Of all the lawyers in the firm, he was lucky enough to be under the protective wing of Elizabeth Noris. The famous, "superlawyer" who worked only with Hollywood stars or on the most impressive cases.

Over the years, while at law school and working at other firms, Ennis had read and heard about Elizabeth Noris. The older lawyer was an example for the younger generation. Her determination and attitude in court were notorious and Ennis couldn't list all the qualities she represented as a lawyer.

But she wasn't only famous for her job. Her personal life was the target of many comments too. He had read somewhere that Elizabeth was once married to a young female doctor from Dallas. When her wife died in a tragic car accident, Elizabeth began to live for the Magnet firm. She was a beast in court, an amazing idol. There was a long list of famous cases in which she'd been directly related. She was also famous for her futuristic lessons in law school, where she was one of the student's most favorite teachers. She was very found of the concept of bringing the court to the law students and not the other way around. A position that had brought her a few arguments with other famous lawyers, who shared a different position.

"Jesus, I don't know what to say. I'm honored, Mrs. Noris." He said feeling extremely self-conscious all of the sudden.

"Believe me, you're not nearly as excited as I am. You are my first protégé, so this is very special for me too." She smiled again, this time showing all of her perfect teeth. Ennis thought again that she looked like a Barbie doll, with the only exception of her quite short legs.

"Please do sit down. Can I offer you something to drink?" Ennis moved to the kitchen, trying to find something good enough for the famous Elizabeth Noris to drink.

"No Ennis, thank you. I can't stay long and I can see you need your time for unpacking." She looked around at the boxes again.

"I have plenty of time to do that." Ennis said waving at the boxes.

"I'm sure, but I also came for another reason. Ennis, I wanted to invite you personally to my party." She sat on the large couch waiting for Ennis to return from the kitchen. "It's for Magnet members only and I thought it would be nice for you to meet some of the members outside the firm."

"I'm glad you thought of it. Of course I'll go. I can't wait to meet more of my heroes." Ennis said, surprised that such a notorious woman had planned a party for him.

"It's tonight. But don't worry, you don't need to dress formally. I will send someone to pick you up." She said standing up. When she was close to the door, she looked at Ennis and smiled.

"I have followed your work for the last few years Ennis. You have passion, kid. I think you'll be great here." She smiled happily.

"I don't know what to say…" Ennis said feeling shy and flattered.

"Say you'll come to my party, eager to meet all those boring oldies."

"Thank you, Mrs. Noris." Ennis followed the lady to the door, happy as a two year old after a day at the playground.

"So don't forget, tonight at 7 pm. I will send Jack to pick you up." She said passing through the door.

"Jack?" Ennis asked looking at Elizabeth in front of the elevator.

"Yes, Jack Twist. My best friend and right hand at the firm. You'll love him, Ennis." she said, entering the elevator and giving him one last smile.

Ennis stood there watching the doors close, remembering every little detail about this quick but full meeting. How the small blond woman had given him no time to think or react. Elizabeth was a woman full of energy and life, and she looked as though nothing could ever stop her.

What an amazing opportunity it will be to work with such a woman, Ennis thought. How much more could he learn and an amazing example as a human being she was. Elizabeth was just like him in that she was completely dedicated to doing what she liked --being a lawyer!

He remembered her words and how the blond woman had looked just as nervous as he felt. From the unexpected way she appeared, to the unpredictable way she left. She was determined and wasted little to no time with false formalities. Ennis thought Elizabeth Noris was a hell of a woman!

* * *

**Author: **_First chapter is always the most difficult one. I remember the difficulty I had to write 3 pages. Now I have to fight not to make chapter longer than 10 pages! The idea came to me after I've seen the movie. I always had in mind that one day I would write a romance about lawyers. Even thought I don't know a think about law! Somehow the ideas of gay lawyers sounded even more interesting and so I started to write…_

_**On the next chapter:**__ Jack and Ennis finally met. Ennis gets confuse and Jack gets hot! The two of them got together for work and we learn a few more things about the Magnet firm. The story is only now beginning. _


	2. The first Elizabeth's party

_**Author's Note: **__Thank you so very much for my friend _Kathy (**kittie8571**_) who is the Beta of this story!  
_

* * *

**Chapter Two: The**** first Elizabeth's party**

Ennis looked in the mirror for the second time in the last ten seconds. He had always been a relaxed guy, never wasting more than a few minutes choosing what to wear or looking at his appearance. Even when he needed to dress in a suit for court, he never liked anything too fancy. He was born a simple man and he would die a simple man. He understood the need to wear impressive clothes but never, until this moment, had he ever felt that need.

Nevertheless, tonight was no occasion for being simple. He was going to a party in Elizabeth Noris's house. Or as he had read somewhere, Noris Manor! He was going to meet face-to-face all the important members of the Magnet Firm, all the old and famous names he kept reading about. He was going to be the center of all the attention and he was as nervous as hell.

He felt stupid for being so anxious about this party, but he couldn't help it. This was the moment when he should look his best. There's only _one_ first impression and he was aware of how important it would be.

He looked at the clock, 6:30 pm. The unknown Mr. Jack Twist will be here in half an hour, he thought to himself.

Ennis thought about the idea of arriving at a party in the company of this mysterious Jack. Sure it was a work party and he was the new member, but going to a party with a completely strange man wasn't helping his nerves. What if he made a fool of himself? What if this Jack Twist looks at his clothes and starts to laugh?

"Now that's just stupid," he said to the empty bedroom.

It seemed that since he had arrived in New York, all he could do was talk to himself. He chuckled softly, laughing at himself.

And why did he have the feeling he knew the name Twist from somewhere else? He was so sure he'd heard it not long ago. He just couldn't remember where…

He looked back to the mirror, his brown eyes shining with expectation and worry. Was he ready for this final step? Was he going to fit in the world of New York?

"Jeez, Ennis Del Mar, you look like your father." He said to himself, again.

He moved to the living room bringing his jacket with him. There was a tennis match playing on channel five and he could relax waiting for Jack while he watched it. As he sat down on the couch, surrounded by a few boxes, the doorbell rang.

He got up and opened the door slowly, laying his eyes on the man standing in front of the door.

"Hi. My name is Jack Twist. I believe you're expecting me?" The man said looking at him.

Ennis used the time he had to look at Jack Twist. The man in front of him was clearly his age. And that surprised him, because he had expected for Elizabeth's best friend to be her age or even older.

"Yes. Please, come on in and make yourself comfortable." He said opening the door.

Ennis looked at Jack, as he nodded, smiling and entered the living room in front of them. Jack was slightly smaller than him but there was something about the way his blue eyes shone that demanded respect. He had dark hair that he kept styled in a modern cut with gel. He was wearing a jumper that was just as blue as his eyes. Ennis thought that he would made a good couple with Elizabeth, because they both looked like Hollywood stars. He shouldn't have problems with the ladies, he thought to himself.

Ennis shook his head slightly at the last thought but managed to open his mouth to speak.

"Uh, I'm Ennis Del Mar, but you already know that." Ennis said, smiling shyly.

"Yes. Please call me Jack. After all, you're Elizabeth's protégé. The entire firm can't talk about anything else. I wonder if you know just how lucky you are." Jack said sitting on the couch and unbuttoning his jacket.

"Then it's Ennis for you. I was still in shock until a few minutes ago. She's a legend to someone my age."

"She's a legend to _anyone_. You will learn so much more from her. I know I did." There was a dreamy expression on Jack's face. "I don't know if she told you, but she was my teacher at law shool."

"I admit I was excepting someone older. Elizabeth told me you were her right hand." Ennis said with a small smile. He didn't want to offend the man.

"It happens every time. Everyone pictures me as old and fat. The secret is that Elizabeth likes to work with people she trusts. Like I said, she was my teacher at law shool, so when I graduated she decided I was going to work with her. As you can see, there was nothing unusual about our pairing."

Ennis smiled. Jack was a talkative person but he seemed to like Ennis's small answers. The two men continued talking about the firm until it was time to leave for the party. Entering Jack's BMW, Ennis thought that he had found his first friend in the Magnet Firm.

* * *

Jack drove all the way to Elizabeth's house talking to Ennis and watching him closely. In this small amount of time, Jack had decided that Ennis was a very sexy man. He could now understand why Elizabeth was wearing the _devilish smile_ when she told him he was the one picking him up tonight. She knew Jack was going to like the company. 

With his small brown eyes and his delicate blond curls, Ennis was a sight. Muscular enough to look good with any clothes and taller than the average man. He was Jack's type, from the shy smile to the masculine way he moved his hands.

Too bad he didn't seem to think the same way about him. Or at least Jack wasn't getting any signals. Ennis had only looked at him for a few seconds when they met and nothing more. He thought maybe he wasn't gay but then there was a little bit of chemistry between them. Jack was almost sure that Ennis wouldn't be that shy around everybody else. Then again, maybe he was.

Jack looked again at Ennis. The blond man was talking for more than twenty seconds straight for the first time. Something about how the Premier League shouldn't accept some arbiters. He wondered if Ennis had to shave every day, because from where he was sitting, his skin looked as smooth as silk.

Jack put these thoughts away as he and Ennisgot out of the car, still discussing European soccer this season.

* * *

Elizabeth's house was a picture of herself. Small, impressive and extremely beautiful. Ennis thought he had never seen a house like this before. It was like something taken from a movie. The big house, painted in white, was a mix of historic building and modern decoration. 

"Impressed? Wait til you see the garden. I once believed it was possible to play golf in there!" Jack said, moving to the front door and ringing the bell.

A few seconds after, a young maid opened the door, obviously not surprised to find them standing there.

"Mr. Twist, Madame Noris has been waiting for you for a few minutes." The young lady said and then smiling, she added. "Please, gentlemen, follow me."

A few steps before they were standing in a large room full of strangers and right in front of them was a smiling Elizabeth Noris.

"Ennis! Welcome to my house and to your party. I hope Jack didn't bother you with his unfinished sports magazine!" She said teasing Jack.

"Actually, I was happy to find someone who knew as much about sports as I do. I believe we had a nice time." Ennis said honestly.

"Really? I guess it's a guy thing. I've never liked sports." She made a bored face and Ennis smiled. "Last year, Jack took me to a tennis match and I though I was going to die of boredom." She laughed out loud at the memory.

"It was the final of the U.S. Open! Who would have thought she wouldn't like it?" Jack answered rolling his eyes. "I guess I'm picking up a drink to forget that afternoon. Do either of you need anything?"

Ennis and Elizabeth answered with no and Jack went to the other side of the room. Ennis decide it was time to prepare himself for the long evening of meetings and uninteresting talk. He normally hated parties, but this one he was going to take on with a big smile.

"I could see you and Jack get along just fine." Elizabeth said with a curious look.

"He's a nice guy, with a lot of things to say." Ennis replied truthfully.

"Yes. I knew you were going to like him. I'm thinking of putting you two working together on a few smaller cases. What do you think? I can give you a week or two to think about it." Elizabeth said waving for someone on the other side of the room.

"Sounds good to me. What about Jack? He may not like to be my new babysitter." Elizabeth laugh at Ennis's comment.

"Jack likes to help people who really need help. If it wasn't for me, I'm sure he wouldn't be helping rich guys become even richer. If I don't give him the chance of helping you, he's going to annoy me for the rest of the year."

"Really?" Ennis asked surprised. This mysterious Jack Twist was working at the firm for the sake of Elizabeth, probably because of the opportunity of working with her. Ennis thought it was as good a reason as any.

"Yes, I'm sure Jack will be happy to help you." She answered.

"Then it's settled." Ennis said, looking at Jack on the other side of the room.

The night progressed slowly for Ennis. If it hadn't been for Jack and Elizabeth's company, he would have felt very lonely. On that night, Ennis met almost twenty of the members of the Magnet Firm but just a few seemed interested in making a real acquaintance. He predicted that working in the Magnet Firm was a lonely, tough walk but he was happy because Elizabeth and Jack seemed to be really great exceptions.

* * *

Jack drove all the way to Ennis's house making only small talk. He was feeling somehow strange and he could see Ennis was tired. The night went well, with some talk about the firm's latest decisions and the usual gossip about the important members of the board but something wasn't right for Jack. 

All night long, he eyed Ennis and not for the expected reasons. He was definitely attracted to the man, but there was something more to it. Ennis was intelligent, careful with the words he used, using every single moment to observe and study. Jack lived long enough in New York to recognize a good and simple man when he saw one. And Ennis was one of those very few.

For the first time in his life, he wasn't feeling right with the fact that he wasn't openly gay. It wasn't a big secret. Jack had been out of the closet for a long time, he just wasn't the type of man who liked to have his private life advertised and with all the work in the firm, he didn't have much time for relationships. It was natural for him, so he usually didn't feel the need to scream it. Until now, that is.

"You're quiet, Jack. We obviously haven't known each other long but it doesn't seem right coming from you." Ennis said looking at him from the passenger's seat.

"I'm a bit tired. I've been working hard on a case involving the government. It's a chore for 12 hours a day." Jack said, trying not to look at Ennis.

"Elizabeth said that maybe I was going to work with you on some cases." Ennis stopped before he could say anything else. He should have thought about a different way to deliver the news. Jack probably still didn't know and even though Elizabeth had told him that Jack wouldn't mind, it was still rather impolite.

He sighed, thinking that he really wasn't good dealing with people outside the courtroom.

Jack smiled at the straightforward way Ennis had delivered the news. Ennis was a direct man, no need to waste words and he already liked that about him.

"You don't need to worry. I need the help, now that Elizabeth is no longer working with me full time, and I think we're going to be a good team."

Ennis smiled and Jack stopped the car in front of Ennis's building and turned off the engine. He was feeling nervous again, like a school girl on a first date, and he couldn't figure out why.

"You could come in for a nightcap, if you'd like. We didn't finish our discussion about Chelsea versus Manchester United and I have cold beer," Ennis said casually.

Jack thought that if he went up to Ennis's apartment right now, he might say or do things that they both would regret. They were going to work together, hopefully for a really long time, and Jack was forced to think about the consequences. Ennis was an intelligent guy but totally unaware of Jack's feelings and maybe it was better this way.

Even Jack didn't know what was happening with him. There were all the things he really liked about Ennis, and then there was something else about him that he couldn't quite figure out, like a new puzzle to a child. An irresistible challenge.

"Sorry, Ennis but no. I really need to head on home." Jack said, searching for something in his pockets. "Here's my card. Phone me if you need anything, help in the apartment or tips for your first day."

"Thank you for everything." Ennis said outside the car looking in by the open window.

"We're a team now. No more "thank yous!" Jack said, starting the car.

Ennis smiled and watched the BMW drove away. A small part of him was sad for being alone again. Jack's concern felt right, like a brother… No, like something else. Something he couldn't figure out.

* * *

**Author: **_There was so much I wanted to write that the first version of this chapter was a complete disaster. Somehow parts of what I write didn't even appear on the site! Confusion that no one really complained about, but I wasn't happy with. _

_**On the next chapter:**__ Ennis is finally working at the Magnet Firm. The team Del Mar/Twist gets his first big case. But not all are roses; the blond lawyer faces a lot of surprises that may compromise his relationship with Jack, in more ways than one._


	3. First day at the Magnet

_**Author's Note: **__Thank you so very much for my friend _Kathy (**kittie8571**_) who is the Beta of this story!  
_

* * *

**Chapter Three: First day at the Magnet**

Ennis took a deep breath. Sitting inside of his car, he looked at the sign right in front of him. _Del Mar_ was written in black letters. He was parked in his new, personal spot at the underground parking garage of the firm.

He was nervous and all he could think about was how much he had dreamed about this moment and how he should react now that the dream was coming to fruition. This was real and Ennis was more than frightened.

Picking up his briefcase off the floor on the passenger side, he looked at the car right next to his, a familiar blue BMW. Was it possible? Yes, Jack's car was right next to him. Elizabeth really thought about everything. Well, probably someone else did it for her, but it was still nice. He smiled as he walked over to the elevator.

Third floor and the second door on the left. Ennis stood looking at the names on the door. "Del Mar and Twist" The firm had wasted no time and Ennis was truly impressed. He'd been informed on Friday about his future partner and on Monday he was entering the office that they would share. Still looking at the name plate, he entered the room.

Jack was sitting at the desk on the left of the door, talking with someone on the phone. The desk on the right was completely empty except for a pile of photocopies and an old book. "The Magnet Rules" he read from the cover of the book. The big red letters on the black cover caught his attention and he stared at the book for a few more minutes. He wondered if he was ever going to read more than ten pages of the colossal thing.

At the back of the office was a big window with a nice view of the city and a few bookcases. The books were the usual ones and Ennis wondered if the Magnet firm still used them, since it was well-known that they were number one in technology. All this information was probably already available on their common database.

Ennis looked around again. He quickly decided the best thing about the office was the fireplace, placed a few feet away from his own desk. Unfortunately, it seemed to be decorative only.

"Sorry, Ennis. I was on the phone with Elizabeth. News about our first case. But, first things first. How do you feel about your first day at the Magnet firm?" Jack said smiling. "Good impression so far?"

"I'm excited and impressed. My name was in the parking lot, on the door… I wasn't expecting this. It makes you feel very welcome." Ennis said, attempting to express his feelings.

"I understand. But not everything is this efficient. We still don't have a secretary. Elizabeth was the one who should have done the interviews yesterday but she couldn't find the time. So, that'll probably take a few more weeks. You must have noticed the empty desk on the left." Jack said, searching for something in one of his drawers.

"I didn't notice. I was too impressed by the look of my name on the door." They both laughed and then someone knocked on the door.

A tall man looked inside the office. He had black hair and strong blue eyes. Ennis remembered where he had previously met this man. This was the famous Enrique Twist. The owner of the firm. Ennis had had an interview with him a few weeks ago.

"Once again, welcome to the firm, Ennis. It's a pleasure to have you on the team." Mr. Twist said, shaking Ennis's hand.

"The pleasure is all mine, sir." Ennis said as it suddenly dawned on him where he had heard of a Twist before.

"I hope you and my son will get along well. We have a lot of old, well-known names in the firm but just a few young ones." He said smiling.

"Thank you." Ennis said, still shocked by his own discovery.

"Well, I must leave both of you with your work. Nice day." Enrique said, leaving the office with a small goodbye.

Ennis couldn't believe his ears. Jack Twist was the son of the owner. How could he not see it? He didn't know what to feel about this. He leaned against his desk, still in shock. How he did not make the connection before, he would never understand.

"I can see you're surprised. I thought you knew." Jack said, moving from his desk and stopping right in front of Ennis.

"I didn't realize. But it makes no difference Jack." Ennis said, reassuring Jack of how he felt.

"There's a lot of things you don't know about me." Jack said putting his hand on the other man's shoulder.

Ennis felt a shiver run down his body. The simple touch felt like electricity through his nervous system. He looked to the left, tyring to hide his flushed face and carefully moved away.

Why was he reacting like this? Sure, Jack was an attractive man but he wasn't even hitting on him. Ennis wasn't gay and he was terrified by what he was feeling. As quickly as his mind could, Ennis attributed his feelings to the loneliness he was going through.

He couldn't remember the last time he went on a date. With all the work and the pressure of achieving his goals, he simply forgot to take care of his personal life. Women seemed like a cage to a man like him. They all seemed to want either his money or his sperm. Ennis was tired of being an object so he simply put aside that part of his life. Not one of his previous girlfriends could understand him and all of them inevitably left him, complaining about how lonely they felt and how silent and cold Ennis had been. Nevertheless, he was now starting to believe that he needed to get a life, before he couldn't even be around decent guys.

"We're going to work together, Jack. We'll figure everything out in time." Ennis said, trying to look calm and thinking that Jack probably thought he was crazy because of his reaction.

"You're right, Ennis. He may be my father but he never gave me any special treatment. We will need to work hard to get to the top." He said, carefully moving away but still looking at Ennis.

"So, what about the news that Elizabeth gave you." He said, organizing his belongings on the desk.

"It's a big case. The famous Mr. Santos of the oil industry is going to sue another company for duplicating a new machine they've been developing." Jack took a few files from a drawer. "Mr. Santos has many important scientists working for him. This machine was developed by his team in Spain and the plans were believed to have been stolen a few months ago."

"I see." Ennis said, still feeling uncomfortable around Jack.

"The details are all on your desk. We leave next Monday. I hope we can arrive in Madrid that evening."

"We're going to Madrid?" Ennis's eyes widened in surprise.

"This client is _very_ important to the firm. We need to show our total commitment. Orders from the boss!" Jack said smiling. "That includes a trip, as soon as possible, to Madrid."

"Incredible!" Ennis replied starting to read the first pages of the documents about the case.

* * *

By lunch time, Jack and Ennis were already eagerly discussing the details of their first case. Eating a chicken sandwich, Ennis was thinking about his first business trip. It was a part of his job he had never experienced before. Jack told him it was usual in the Magnet firm to travel all over the world working on different cases. His thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. 

"Hi guys! How's my favorite team doing? Jack hasn't already drawn you into work, has he?" Elizabeth said looking at Ennis.

"No, Mrs. Noris. We've been working slowly on the Santos case." Ennis said, taking another bite of the sandwich.

"He's a clever man. Mr. Santos likes to know the facts and the probabilities. He's going to like you, Ennis."

"Dad said he was pleased to work with young lawyers. We have a lot of evidence to sustain the case, so there's no huge difficulty in finding the right deal." Jack showed a few pages of the process to Elizabeth.

"I know. I admit, I gave you an easy first one. The big problem is making Mr. Santos accept the deal. That's your part, Jack." She answered without taking her eyes from the pages Jack had given her.

Ennis smiled. Elizabeth had thought of everything. This was the perfect first case for Team Twist-Del Mar. It gave them a chance to work on their best skills and learn to work together. He involuntary glanced at Jack. He was laughing as he talked with Elizabeth. The way his mouth moved seemed to have him under some kind of spell. Ennis thought maybe this trip wasn't going to be as easy for him as everybody seemed to think.

He was thinking about it when something in Elizabeth and Jack's conversation caught his attention.

"You know, Frederic asked me for your phone number. He seemed interested." Elizabeth said looking discreetly at Ennis.

"I hope you didn't give him my number." Was Jack's only reply.

Jack didn't feel right about having this talk in front of Ennis but then again, his colleague needed to know that he was gay. Maybe this was the easiest way to let him in on that fact. Maybe Elizabeth was helping him. He just wasn't much convinced.

Ennis heard the exchange between the two friends pretending he didn't care. A small part of him already knew Jack was gay. Something about the way Jack looked at him the first time they met. The other part was surprised by the masculinity Jack radiated. There was none of the "gay" signs he would have expected from a gay man. Culture stereotypes, Ennis thought. He should have known better than that.

Was he uncomfortable about this? He had always been tolerant about homosexual relationships. He even considered himself to be open-mind about it.

The problem in _this_ situation was that for the first time in his life, he was experiencing an _attraction_ to a gay man. The bigger question was what was he supposed to do about it?

He really didn't know how to handle this situation.

* * *

"Let's call it a day. We have a lot to do tomorrow, so I say it's time to go home." Jack said rubbing his eyes. 

"Fine with me." Ennis looked at the clock on the wall of the office. 7 pm. The time was flying by, he thought. But he was happy with the work they had both done. Jack was an excellent partner.

They packed up all the important papers and went to the elevators. Jack started a nice conversation about his favorite golf player, Tiger Woods. On the second floor a tall blond man entered and Ennis could feel the uneasiness in Jack's demeanor. The blond man give a disapproving glance to Ennis and focused on Jack, smiling easily.

"Hi Jack. Finally I get to see you. If I didn't know any better, I would say you've been avoiding me." The man said with a charming smile that made Ennis feel the need to punch him in the face.

"Actually, I've been really busy. This is my new partner, Ennis Del Mar." Jack said, ignoring the previous remarks. "Ennis, this is Frederic Dawson, an expert in divorces."

If Ennis had any doubts about the identity of the man standing in front of him, they all vanished by the time Jack said Frederic. Ennis tried to hide all the complex feelings he was dealing with at the moment. Three days ago he didn't know about the existence of Jack Twist, and now here he was feeling jealously about him. Which was ridiculous, because Jack wasn't even interested in the blond guy. As far as he knew, Jack may even have a boyfriend!

"Actually, Jack," Frederic said smiling at him, "It's _the number one_ expert in divorces. The members of the board and your father recently told me so."

If Jack was a woman, Ennis would have thought he was falling hard for Jack. But Ennis was too confused to make up his mind about what was happening. Meanwhile, he had decided to dislike this Frederic Dawson, who sounded just as cocky as he looked.

"Nice to meet you," Ennis said coldly as he shook the other man's hand with a little bit more strength than he really needed to.

"Nice to meet you too" Frederic replied with the fakest of all smiles.

Finally the three men arrived at the underground garage. Fredric bid his goodbyes with a few more charming remarks for Jack, leaving Jack blushing strongly and Ennis furious with the persistence of the annoying man.

Ennis couldn't stand it any longer. He was confused and more than slightly angry. Angry with himself or with Frederic, he wasn't quite sure. He said a cold goodbye to Jack and drove quickly home.

A few minutes later, parked in front of his apartment building, alone inside of the car, Ennis murmured to himself.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Ennis Del Mar?"

Jack stood next to his car, thinking about his partner's reaction. Ennis didn't seem to deal well with the fact that he was gay. Who could blame him? One moment he doesn't know about it, the next he sees me flirting with another man, he thought. He was furious with Frederic. The blond man usually made a sport of flirting with him but everything has limits.

Well, not actually flirting, but it was still a strange and awkward situation. Jack thought it didn't help that he was feeling more and more attracted to Ennis. He couldn't remember the last time he felt this way. That morning when he involuntary touched Ennis's shoulder, he could feel his body reacting like never before. Even then, Ennis seemed constrained. Perhaps he didn't deal well with gay men.

Jack wondered if he was going to lose the best partner possible because he was gay. It wasn't the first time. He passed a hand through his hair and climbed into the blue BMW. Ennis was still in his mind. Yesterday they were new pals drinking beer together, and now he was the boss's gay son working with Ennis.

Jack hoped that maybe he was overreacting.

* * *

**Author: **_I didn't want to waste time. So I gave Ennis the first signs to what was about to came in this chapter. Also, one of my favourite characters, Frederic Dawson, makes his first appearance. I still have hope, that Frederic will surprises in the future, I just don't know yet how. The scene where Ennis suddenly drove away is one of my favourites. _

_**On the next chapter:**__ Ennis and Jack fly to Madrid to work on their first big case. All is well until the sexual tension between our two lawyers reaches unstoppable levels. _


	4. The Santos’ Case

_**Author's Note: **__Thank you so very much for my friend _Kathy (**kittie8571**_) who is the Beta of this story!_

* * *

**Chapter Four: The Santos' Case**

The rest of the week moved along smoothly. Jack convinced himself that Ennis was slowly getting used to their partnership. Jack still felt very self conscious around Ennis. He stayed away, avoiding any physical contact, afraid of Ennis's reaction and what may happen.

Work went incredibly well. Ennis phoned Mr. Santos a couple of times to inform him of the developments of their work. Just as Elizabeth had predicted, the important man got along with Ennis incredibly well. Jack was secretly proud of him and the efforts he was making. He was sure that Ennis would soon be one of the firm's best lawyers.

During the long hours of the last week, Jack had thought about Ennis and the feelings he was developing for him. He didn't allow himself any dreams or hopes as he was almost positive that the feeling would not be reciprocated. He couldn't forget the expression on Ennis's face when he abruptly left after Frederic's remarks. Ennis had looked disgusted.

* * *

Ennis picked up his bags and paid the taxi driver. As usual, he was right on time. He moved in the direction of the small café near the souvenir shop. He wasn't surprised when he found Jack sitting alone at one of the small tables, reading a sports newspaper. He had told him yesterday that he would be there waiting for him. 

If Ennis had learned something this week it was that his friend Jack was always a few minutes early to all his meetings and business gatherings. He was the first of the top lawyers to arrive at the Magnet firm, and he was the first one to pick a seat at any of the reunions and the first one to laugh at a stupid joke.

Ennis smiled at the thought. He couldn't help but find everything about Jack Twist adorable or admirable. During the entire week he had avoided thinking about Jack. He'd even gone on a ridiculous date with one of his neighbors. It had been a complete disaster!

The night ended with a completely bored Ennis and an annoying young woman saying goodbye with a hand shake in the hallway of their building. Ennis was sure that most of the fault was his. He had been terrible company all night. His mind had obviously been somewhere else and he'd found the woman's comments interesting but unappealing. There had been absolutely no chemistry between them and Ennis didn't even bother trying to find something else.

The truth was that even with Jack's sudden coldness, something Ennis couldn't quite understand, the two men were closer than ever. Jack was funny and polite, and he liked to hear Ennis's opinion. Even his stubbornness was acceptable considering he was usually right about the things he fought for.

"I'm not late, am I?" Ennis asked, sitting in front of Jack and waving to the waitress.

"Not at all, Ennis. I haven't been here long myself. Did you hear about the news about the Chelsea team?" Jack said smiling happily.

"Jack, I hardly hear anything before leaving my flat. How could I possibly know? Enlighten me." Ennis said with a smile of his own.

Jack smiled and the conversation began from there.

* * *

They arrived in Madrid a few hours later. The hotel rooms where they were staying were spacious and modern. _Senator Spaña_ was a famous hotel. It was only for one night but Ennis couldn't help but wonder at the type of living he was doing now. 

He was aware of much money he was making now. He could hardly think about ways of spending it! And that was only one of the many privileges the Magnet's lawyers had. There were also the paid business trips, the monetary awards and the commissions for exclusive clients.

A few minutes after they had arrived, Mr. Santos was standing right in front of them, obviously pleased to finally meet them.

"Ennis Del Mar and Jack Twist." Mr. Santos said pointing at the empty chairs in front of him. "There's no need to say that I'm a friend of the Twist family for quite a long time. But the name Del Mar is totally unknown to me. That means that you, kid, are here on your own credentials. No need to say that I admire that."

"Thank you, Sir." Ennis said looking at the floor.

"Jack told me on the phone that this deal is the best option. He said in the end it gives me more money than suing them. What do you think, kid?" Mr. Santos asked, looking at Jack and adding, "No offense, Jack, but you are your father's son, after all."

"He's right. We worked together and I guarantee you, this is the largest amount of money possible." Ennis said looking at Jack for support.

"Like I told you on the phone, the deal includes a personal apology, just as you've requested."

"I believe in both of you." The older man said observing them closely.

"Thank you sir." Ennis replied naturally.

"Let's sign this and arrange the meeting for the final steps. I want this finished today." Mr. Santos said smiling at the two young men sitting in his office.

* * *

At the end of the day, after dinner at _El Pescador_, Ennis and Jack were celebrating in the bar of the hotel, drinking a few beers and having their usual casual and relaxed talk. 

"This went well." Ennis said smiling.

"This went _fantastically_ well. Dad called me before dinner, telling me Mr. Santos wants us to be his official lawyers. That means a lot of work all over the Santos' branches. Nobody was expecting this!" Jack said smiling wildly.

"God, that's wonderful news. Our first case and we already have an exclusive client!" Ennis was really proud of their work as a team.

"You bet it is." Jack said smiling. He raised his bottle and looked at Ennis. "A toast to us."

"To us." Ennis said making their bottles click together. "You gotta admit, you and I, we make a perfect team." Ennis said looking Jack in the eye.

"Yes we do." Jack looked seriously and then added. "I'm sorry, Ennis."

"For what?" Ennis said with a small smile and Jack understood the hidden meaning. Whatever problems that they'd during these first weeks were now forgotten.

"I had a great time, Jack. I can't remember the last time I had so much fun." Ennis said entering the elevator.

"Really?" Jack asked curiously.

"When my parents died, I locked myself away from the rest of the world. I guess I forgot how important it is to have someone you can trust. Thank you, Jack Twist." Ennis said, leaving the elevator with a petrified Jack inside.

Ennis moved quickly to his room door. It was difficult for him to express his feelings and there was so much more he wanted to say to Jack. But he just couldn't. A part of him still felt it wasn't right. He wanted to fight this, this urge to feel the man standing behind him, the urge to be with Jack Twist, all of the time.

"Ennis." Jack said softly, moving in his direction, stopping when he was right in front of him. "Ennis, I..."

Ennis looked at Jack with desperation in his eyes. The man standing in front of him was drowning. Drowning in feelings that he watched dancing in his eyes, feelings that matched his own. Need, want and lust. But there was something else. Something that Ennis pretended he didn't see for fear of ruining the most perfect moment in his life.

And Jack could never finish the sentence, as Ennis had silenced him with his own mouth. For a few seconds Jack couldn't move. He was dizzy with surprise and curiosity. How could this be happening? How could Ennis be acting this way? But the tongue in his mouth was making him dizzy with want and his mind foggy. And he decided that doubts should be Ennis's area. He was _sure_ he wanted this. Jack replied with a movement of his own tongue.

Jack moved closer, putting his hand around Ennis's waist. Their tongues played inside Jack's mouth. It felt so right that Jack thought he was going to cry of happiness. This is another damn dream, Jack thought.

It could only be a dream, the most sweet and torturous dream ever. The kind of dreams when you get exactly what you want, only to wake up certain you would never have it. Like the Chinese people say, _the thoughts of the day make the dreams of the night_. And maybe that's what was happening with him. He was dreaming.

Ennis was completely lost at the feeling of Jack's touch. He had been with a lot of women but it was nothing like this. It was driving him completely crazy. He couldn't stop now, even if he wanted to. The kiss was incredible, so strong, so intense and so masculine. No woman in the world could kiss like Jack Twist.

By the time they opened the door and reached the bed they were gasping for air, touching each other desperately and tripping over their own pants. When they finally reached the bed, Jack kneeled so that Ennis would fall on top of him.

"Are you sure Ennis?" Jack asked between gasps, Ennis was on top of him looking him right in the eye, helping him getting rid of his shirt. Their erections pressed together in a dancing rhythm.

"I… I want you, Jack" was all Ennis could answer before kissing him hungrily again and Jack put aside any doubts he could have been feeling.

Jack looked again at those eyes full of lust and desire and he knew that there was no turning back. He was going to do it. He was going to make love to Ennis Del Mar. Any reasonable thought was soon vanished as Jack felt Ennis's lips and teeth on his neck, rubbing that sensitive spot. His hands were on the bottom of his back, just at the beginning of his ass, closer to his hips, the exact spot where he was ticklish.

"Ennis…" Jack tried to say. "Not going to last long…"

Ennis seemed to understand, as he was also facing the same exact problem. He moved up Jack's neck and kissed his cheek, his nose and the corners of his month.

"Do you have any…" Ennis asked and Jack quickly understood.

"In the bag, near the bed, on the floor." Jack said and Ennis moved rapidly to find it. Ennis didn't ask but Jack found that he was asking the question to himself. Why did he bring lube on the trip? He wasn't really expecting to have sex with anyone and especially not with Ennis. But there had been the smallest of all hopes, the desperate of all wants, encouraging him to put the lube in the bag.

And now, just as he watched Ennis naked, returning to the bed, he was glad. He was _more_ than glad he had did it.

* * *

Jack woke up with the alarm of the clock, it was 12 pm. The plane back to New York was planned to leave at 4 pm and that gave them enough time to get all set up and have a quiet lunch. 

He opened his eyes slowly, suddenly remembering the previous night. It couldn't have been better. Ennis had no experience in having sex with a man but he was eager to learn. Jack smiled, moving his hand to the space right next to him. He was surprised to find nothing there. Nothing but cold sheets.

Ennis must already be awake, Jack thought, moving to the bathroom in order to take a shower and get ready to face the new day. A few minutes later he went to the small living room convincing himself that Ennis was in his own room getting ready to have lunch and catch their plane.

When Jack was ready to leave, he knocked on Ennis's door and got no answer. The door was locked and Jack decided to give Ennis a call. Maybe he was somewhere nearby, buying some souvenirs or something. The phone rang once, twice…

"Ennis it's me. Where are you, man?" Jack said, trying to sound relaxed.

"Jack I… I'm sorry…"

"What do you mean?"

"I'm sorry Jack."

The line went dead and Jack stood there trying to figure out what had just happened. Was Ennis still in Madrid? Was he regretting last night? What was he supposed to do now?

He made a few phone calls and discovered that Ennis was already in New York. He had changed his ticket to an earlier one. So he's regretting it, Jack thought. He was beginning to feel the hurt in his heart, but he pushed it aside for the time being. He was still not defeated.

"I'm not going to let you get away, Mr. Del Mar. No Sir, no way!" Jack said to himself, calling for a taxi to the airport.

* * *

Ennis used the entire eight hours of the flight thinking about what had just happened. Lately it seemed all he could do was to think and regret. He silently recalled the events of the previous night. Jack didn't seduce him. The truth was last night, Ennis started it all. _He_ was the one taking the initiative. But when he woke up next to Jack this morning, he was one frightened human being. He couldn't believe he'd had sex with another man. The feeling overtook him. He needed to get away, and stay away from Jack. When the sanity returned to him, he was sitting on a plane returning to New York. 

The phone call from Jack only made it all worse. The sound of pain in Jack's voice almost silenced the loud voice inside his head screaming, "You're not gay".

Almost… because he still decided to turn off the phone. He wasn't ready to deal with Jack Twist, at least not for now. At least, not until it was absolutely necessary.

* * *

**Author: **_The first time I wrote this chapter, a part of me really wanted to make a slash scene, but I just couldn't find courage to do so. So when I decided to rewritten it, I was convinced that now things would be different. The problem was, I just couldn't. There was something wrong about spying them on this phase. I wonder if any of you would understand, but to me this moment can not be written. I felt like I still didn't know them that well and so I didn't change it that much. I'm sorry for any disappointments I might have caused. I really am! _

_**On the next chapter:**__ After the dramatic night in Madrid, there is nothing left to Ennis and Jack but to confront each other! After all, how much can a man regret something he had wanted so much? _


	5. Confrontation and regret

_**Author's Note: **__Thank you so very much for my friend _Kathy (**kittie8571**_) who is the Beta of this story!  
_

* * *

**Chapter Five: Confrontation**** and regret**

Ennis sat on the couch of his living room looking at the cell phone lying in his right hand. There was an important decision waiting to be made. He needed to take action and start solving the problems he had created for himself.

Beginning with the consequences of last night and his position at the firm, and his position as Jack's partner and colleague.

Ennis sighed and quickly dialed the recently memorized phone number. At the second ring, someone picked up.

"Mrs. Noris? It's Ennis." He said trying to sound calm.

"Hi kid. Is there something wrong? Don't tell me you and Jack got into some trouble with Mr. Santos?"

"No. The case with Mr. Santos went pretty well. Actually, I'm already in my apartment." Ennis went silent, he didn't know how to proceed. Jack was Elizabeth's best friend, she seemed to love him like a son or a brother.

"Wait, you and Jack weren't supposed to arrive this early, were you? What's happening Del Mar?" She sounded concerned.

"I… We… "Ennis swallowed hard, no words coming out of his mouth.

"Come on kid, you're my protégé, but I'd like to think we already share something more. You sound scared and you're frightening me! Come on, talk that all out."

"It's me and Jack. Last night we… I don't know… it just happened." Ennis couldn't find more words. The way the older woman breathed out loud on the other side of the line told him she had somehow understood it all, even the words that he hadn't been able to say.

"I see. From the sound of this call, I would say you're not very happy." She wasn't trying to hide her disappointment.

Ennis stayed in silence thinking about how he could get to the point. He needed to make this clear to Elizabeth. But before he could say anything, Mrs. Noris spoke again.

"Ennis, I don't know what happened but I'm sure you've noticed that Jack was gay before. I know Jack too well to know he would never hit on a straight guy, especially his firm partner. What have you done, kid?"

"I don't know what passed through my mind! One minute we were talking, and then … Elizabeth, I need your help on this."

"Kid, I'm not gonna clean this emotional mess up for you. Have you talked with Jack? Is he furious because of your regrets? Is he still talking to you?"

"Actually, I just ran away and took the first flight back to New York." Ennis quickly answered back.

"Good work kid! You left a nice guy like Jack alone and confused on the other side of the world. I'm trying to ignore the fact that the guy is _my best friend_. You know what that means? Forget all about the partnership between you two, it's _ruined_! Destroyed by your personal libido!"

"I know, that's why I'm calling you. Mrs. Noris, I need you to find me someone else to work with, another case, anything." Ennis pleaded.

"First, kid, you are going to talk with Jack. My advice is for you to think long and hard about this. You're confused now. You're dealing with mixed feelings. Believe me I know what you're going through. Ennis, are you sure what happened was a mistake? Were you drunk or something?"

"I just know, I can't be working with Jack anymore. At least not in the near future." Ennis was desperately trying to avoid any direct answer.

"Ok. I'm going to do what you're asking me. Prepare yourself because Jack is the Magnet's prince, whether you like it or not. If this gets out, a lot of things are going to change in the firm for you. People won't be friendly for a long while. I'm sure Enrique Twist will gladly fire you if he finds out."

"Do you think so?"

"No. Jack won't tell him. He's a fair man. He doesn't like to mix business with pleasure. He must have some strong feelings for you to have let this happen. Damn it Ennis!"

"You don't know how sorry I am." Ennis replied sadly.

"You'd better be! You lost a friend and a great partner. I'll admit even some of my respect. I thought you knew better than this."

"I…"

"Go take a shower and eat something kid. If I know Jack well, he's going to appear in your apartment in a few hours. And I guarantee you, you're not going to like it." Elizabeth said in flat tone.

Ennis stood a few more seconds looking at the screen of the phone. He could understand Elizabeth's disappointment, he was certainly serious disappointed with himself.

* * *

Elizabeth looked at the phone again, wondering if she should call her best friend. Ennis's call had been unexpected. Surely she had noticed the compromised looks Ennis and Jack usually shared, but she had taken it as growing friendship. 

Ennis didn't seem comfortable around new people and Jack was the person he knew best at the firm. Of course, Jack had told her of his secret attraction but Elizabeth figured no harm would come from it.

Obviously, she was mistaken.

She wondered how much this was going to change things between Jack and Ennis. They were ending the partnership but they were still working at the same firm. How much damage would this do for Ennis's reputation? What if Enrique found out?

Elizabeth couldn't help but fear for her protégé.

* * *

Jack passed the eight hours of the flight thinking about Ennis's reaction. He was now a furious man. How could he have been such a fool? Falling for the charms of the typical straight guy who fancies a different experience in his sex life. Jack had had his share of guys who only wanted to have some kind of sexual adventure with a gay man. A small part of him was telling him that Ennis was different but he couldn't stand the pain in his soul. He was heartbroken. 

During the entire flight, he tried to put himself in Ennis's shoes, trying to understand what could have passed trough Ennis's mind. Nothing seemed to help ease the sorrow. He almost screamed at the adorable old lady sitting next to him who only wanted to show him her granddaughter's photos and have a conversation.

"This is what Ennis Del Mar does to me," he thought silently, trying to be nicer to the sweet elderly woman. The poor woman had absolutely nothing to do with the misfortunes of Jack's personal life.

Now, stepping out of the airport, the memory of his thoughts made him tremble. Wiping some tears from his eyes, Jack entered the taxi already waiting for him. He was determined to confront Ennis with the truth.

* * *

Ennis felt a shiver all over his body when the bell rang. Jack had arrived and the inevitable talk was coming right his way. He moved slowly to the door and opened it. Jack passed right past him like a hurricane, without a single word. The calm natured man that Ennis liked so much was not here. Jack was like a man possessed. 

"ENNIS! WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING? LEAVING WITHOUT SAYING A SINGLE WORD! LEAVING ME THERE ALONE LIKE SOME CHEAP WHORE!" Jack's blue eyes were somehow darker and the expression on his face was a mix of pain and desperation.

"Jack, I didn't meant it that way." Was the only thing Ennis could say.

"Ennis, _please_ tell me you've come to your senses. Tell me you were scared and confused. Tell me you want to figure this out with me. But please don't tell me you are sorry or that you regret last night." Jack was calmer but the pain in his eyes was now more visible. Ennis couldn't look anymore.

"Jack I didn't want to hurt you. But last night was a mistake. I'm not gay!"

"I can't believe it." Jack laughed sadly. "You're telling me that you're not gay? Me? The one you fucked senseless last night! Face it, Ennis. You were pretty determined for someone who's straight!"

"Jack I don't know what possessed me. I felt this attraction that I could not control."

"Ennis, you seduced me! You took me to bed and then dumped me. You didn't even think about our partnership, about the implications in our work. All because of an attraction?"

"It's never happened to me before. I lost it completely!"

"Ennis, is that all you're going to tell me?"

"No. I phoned Elizabeth, you don't need to worry. We're not going to work together anymore. I'm ending this partnership."

"No Ennis. _I'm_ the one ending our partnership. I thought you were better than this. I thought we were going to be good friends." Jack was now almost crying. "I was hiding my attraction for you because I thought you weren't comfortable with my homosexuality. Ironic that after all it seems you were a little _too_ comfortable with it. Comfortable enough to play with my feelings."

"You don't know what you're talking about! Do you think I _wanted_ any of this? Do you think I _wanted_ to lose you as my friend?" Ennis asked, his voice shaking.

"Ennis, as far as I can tell, you did it all. Last night wasn't just physical and I'm not talking about my part. You have feelings for me that you simply cannot handle." Jack was now facing Ennis, just a few centimeters from each other, almost feeling each other's breath.

"I… Please, Jack, go away." Ennis mumbled, turning to the window on the other side of the living room.

"You're a coward, Ennis. And I don't work with cowards. God knows I don't even talk to cowards" Jack moved to the door but stopped just before he left. "I don't want to work with you ever again. Hell, I don't want to face you _ever again_!"

"Jack, just go!" _please_, Ennis thought.

"You're just another disappointment in my life." And with that, Jack slammed the door loudly after him.

What Jack didn't say was that this was the most _painful_ disappointment of his life.

What Jack didn't see were the tears falling from Ennis's eyes as he fell to the floor, gasping for air.

* * *

**Author: **_I didn't change much of the plot on this chapter, because this was the first chapter people really liked. I think the idea was good and I was lucky to finally found the limits of one of my favourite characters, Jack Twist. He's never the same from then on. I found him here in this scene and I didn't want to change that too much._

_**On the next chapter:**__ Ennis and Jack avoid each other for more than a month. A whole month for Ennis to reflect about himself and made some serious decisions. But when Jack comes back from Greece, how much things are going to change? _


	6. Sweet jealously

_**Author's Note: **__Thank you so very much for my friend Kathy (**kittie8571**__) who is the Beta of this story!_

_I also need to send my gratitude to **rchglphpa, onefreetoroam, coldprin, WCUGirl **and **bbmfan **for their wonderful reviews of the last chapter.  
_

* * *

**Chapter Six: Sweet jealousy **

Ennis awoke at the sound of the alarm clock, rubbing his eyes with slow movements. He opened his eyes and fought the clarity brought on by the lamp he'd just switched on. It was another day at the Magnet firm; another morning equal to all others this last month.

Just as he was about to move, he felt the hardness of his own cock and in his head images of last night's dream about Jack appeared. Jack could have been miles and miles away, but every single night, he'd return to haunt his dreams like a curse fought by the mind but that the soul cannot be rid of.

He cursed out loud and walked to the bathroom. Ennis didn't touch himself, deciding instead to take a long, cold shower. It was his last stand against the betrayal of his mind and body. This ritual was becoming more and more a part of Ennis's daily routine.

Since they had argued in Ennis's apartment, Jack hadn't spoken to him, not a single word, avoiding him any time he could. Those first few days, Ennis was too ashamed and scared to even be in the same room with Jack. He feared someone would make a comment or that Jack, still furious, would cause a scandal in the firm. But none of those things happened and Ennis found himself both relieved and perturbed. The fact that Jack seemed so indifferent took him by surprise. Ennis had expected him to make some nasty remarks, but all Jack did was keep his distance and try to hide his sadness. It made Ennis feel even worse.

Of course, it didn't help that Elizabeth chose the same silent punishment. The older lawyer had helped him in every matter related to work, but was clearly avoiding any reference to what she knew. In the firm, rumors of all kinds were flying about the impertinent end of Team Del Mar/Twist. Ennis had dismissed everything, avoiding more unnecessary gossip. Frederic Dawson threw him strange looks all month, but other than being uncivil at every chance, the blond had done nothing else.

Jack, who was now working again full-time with Elizabeth Noris, jumped at the first opportunity, which was a difficult case in Europe. He stayed working there for almost four weeks. It was the divorce of the Greek billionaire Mr. Katsoranis, who intended to leave absolutely nothing to his wife even knowing such a thing was almost impossible. A smart move by Jack, Ennis had thought, since it gave them both the space they needed.

Ennis was now working mostly by himself, but still with a little helping hand from Elizabeth Noris, who in this last week had become "just Elizabeth" to him. She proved to be even more intelligent than Ennis had originally thought. With a sharp eye and smart mouth, she had good advice for every aspect of Ennis's life. Still, there was one particular aspect that Elizabeth never touched again: Ennis's love life. She didn't want to come between the two kids she loved so much. She stayed quiet, waiting for the right moment.

During the four long weeks Jack stayed in Greece, Ennis missed him terribly. It began with him missing the feeling that Jack was working somewhere near him. Then he began to miss his voice, his smile, and his eyes; and then two weeks ago, he started to miss Jack's physical touch. It was insane that he could miss something he'd hardly ever had so much, but that was the irony of the situation. He had lost, by his own accord, the chance of being friends of Jack, if nothing more.

He could clearly see all of this now, but it had been so back on that night in Madrid. It had taken him days to accept the fact that he'd made a serious mistake. Against everything he had predicted, his feelings for Jack had only grown stronger. The physical attraction by now was mixed with the sadness of the sudden departure. He would often find himself remembering silly little details about Jack. Phrases that he'd said when they had met and now had a whole different meaning. He replayed them in his head many, many times. This had never happened before in Ennis's life. All the women to whom he had been romantically attached had left his life with little or no sadness on Ennis's part. They had all clearly been mistakes that only now Ennis could comprehend. Actually, Ennis was beginning to wonder if he had ever loved any of them.

But those were questions that Ennis had kept away from himself all month. He was not ready to face them just yet. His life was complicated as it was. He didn't need to change everything and everybody in his life. He was, however, ready to face something else. He was convinced he was ready to face Jack Twist.

At present, a half-naked Ennis was eating his apple and looking at the calendar in his kitchen. It was today, he thought, as he rearranged his towel around his hips. He'd just gotten out of the shower and droplets of water were still falling around him.

Today Jack Twist would return from the other side of the world, Ennis thought. He could only wonder if that was going to improve his days or not.

* * *

Ennis parked the car rather quickly. He couldn't help but be anxious since he was going to see Jack again. He was going to look into those deep blue eyes, watch them sparkle with the happiness of another solved case. Or perhaps show the sadness of the disappointment their brief romance had been. 

Since the Santos case, Ennis had been doing more than just missing Jack. He had been pondering the whole situation, reading carefully his own feelings, trying to understand how deeply the magic of Jack Twist had gotten to him.

All this thinking left him with only one answer. There was something in his heart that only appeared when he was near Jack; something that no woman in the world could provide him. He didn't know what it was, but he owed it to himself to find out.

Ennis was so focused on searching for the truth of his feelings that he was forced to ask himself some difficult questions. Was he gay? He thought about it a million times during the last month. There certainly were clues in his life that pointed in that direction: countless dates that inexplicably failed; beautiful women that provided him with little to absolutely no interest; years of loneliness without even taking a moment to wonder why he didn't miss the company of a strong, beautiful woman by his side.

But Jack was the first man he ever had feelings for and he didn't know how to handle it. Did he want something serious with Jack? He could no longer hide the truth. He wanted to be with Jack. He wanted to know him better and be a part of his life. He already knew that the simple thought of someone else flirting with Jack sent him into a jealous rage. A part of him wanted Jack exclusively.

To Ennis, it was like wakening from a very deep sleep, from a foggy dream that one kept having for far too long. There was a tiny monster inside his heart that Jack had woken up on that night, a monster that brought with him powerful feelings he had never felt before. And, he was now convinced that he would never find it with anyone else.

The problem was finding the courage to say everything to Jack, to ask for his forgiveness and to offer himself to him. It was all too much for the still confused Ennis. There were still so many doubts, so many things he couldn't understand. And it would likely take him months or even years to overcome all of that.

He looked to the parking spot right next to him, "Jack Twist" written in black letters. It was empty. Jack hadn't arrived yet. Entering the elevator, Ennis looked at his watch only to find that he was right on time. Then why was Jack late? Jack is never late, he thought.

He looked up to find Elizabeth looking at him with a mysterious smile. Ennis wished he could see into the future. Probably another speech about idiocy. It wasn't as if he didn't deserve it. These little sarcastic reproaches from his godmother were exactly what he needed.

"We're quite nervous this morning, aren't we?" she said, almost smiling when Ennis didn't answer. "Afraid he fell for a Greek god?"

"Elizabeth, please. I thought you were keeping out of all this." Ennis replied as he moved quickly to the elevators. Elizabeth followed him quietly until they reached Ennis's office.

"I thought there was no "this" happening, kid." she said, closing the door behind her.

"And there isn't." Ennis said, pretending to read some paper he had picked up from his desk. "Or at least there isn't anymore."

"And we all know who's to blame, right?"

"Hmmm" Ennis said, still pretending to read. Elizabeth could be extremely annoying when she knew she was right. And now it seemed to be the moment for his godmother to take control of the situation.

"I'm looking at you and I'm remembering when I fell in love with Jessica. I was afraid too." Ennis looked surprised at the older woman. Elizabeth didn't speak much about herself, especially about her non-existent love life. It was the gossip in the firm that Elizabeth had taken vows to never have anyone else in her life after the tragic death of her wife. The only exception had been a romance with a famous local detective a few months ago, but unfortunately, that too had ended in tragedy. The details about that or anything else were very scarce.

"You're surprised, Ennis? You know, I was once young and stupid like you. No offense." She paused to take a deep breath and punch Ennis in the shoulder. "Jessica and I met during a murder case all those years ago. She was the doctor performing the autopsy on the victims. From the first time our eyes locked together, there were sparks. Jessica told me later she knew it was love at first sight. I thought we were destined to be best friends, like when you meet someone you know you're going to like." She smiled a little.

"At that time, I'd never heard about lesbians. As pathetic as it may seem, I thought homosexuality was only for men. I had a very rigid and traditional education. It took me years to learn how to handle my own sexuality. You can imagine how difficult it was for Jessica who was "out and proud." There were times that after making love, I would reduce myself to tears. The feeling that it was wrong lasted for a few years. But Jessica never gave up on me and I never left her. "

"I see." Ennis whispered.

"No, Ennis, you don't. I wasted _years_ of my life convincing myself I wasn't a lesbian. Missed another couple of years telling myself it was alright to be with another woman. I lost those years and I could never make up for it. Jessica was gone from my life so quickly. There was so much I wanted to do and needed to say…" She stopped, her eyes filed with emotions, the pain rushing through her like a fountain.

"Elizabeth, it's ok. Don't put yourself through this. I understood your message perfectly."

"You better, kid. This kind of personal confession only happens once in a life time." She managed a small smile.

"Thank you." Ennis said, smiling lightly to her.

"Sure thing, kid. Now I must leave to meet my partner." She moved to the door. "You know, the nice one . . . blue eyes, sexy smile, strong black hair . . ." She closed the door, almost laughing at Ennis furious stare.

That was something about Elizabeth he couldn't understand. She could be down and sad one minute and on top of the mountain the other. He wished he could be like that, flying on the wings of the mood.

* * *

Ennis hadn't seen Jack all day long. Packing up some important files to study at home, Ennis thought about Elizabeth's talk from this morning and how it had surprised him. A nice surprise indeed. He smiled unconsciously at the memory. As usual, Elizabeth had been right and direct, giving no space to wonder what he had been thinking. 

Ennis opened the door of his office and froze at the view in front of him. Jack Twist was a few feet away talking happily to another man. Ennis looked at him hard. He knew Jack would never notice, he was too busy talking and his back was to Ennis.

Ennis thought Jack looked no different, except that he seemed a lot happier than the last time Ennis had laid his eyes on him. This simple fact seemed to smash Ennis.

Had Jack moved on? The thought itself broke something inside of him. He couldn't believe that their night in Madrid had meant nothing to Jack. No, he couldn't believe it when he had seen the desperation in his eyes when they had argued. Jack had felt it too, if not as strong.

Ennis decided to look at the man to whom Jack was talking to. Frederic Dawson was telling what appeared to be a very funny story to Jack. By the look on Jack's face, he was finding it hilarious. Ennis felt the familiar feeling in his gut, the twist of strong jealousy.

He suddenly remembered the afternoon when he had met Frederic Dawson. How furious he had been, just by watching Frederic flirting with Jack. Nothing but mere words and a few smiles, and Ennis had felt on fire, without even considering how ridiculous his behavior had appeared in the eyes of Jack. But if the brunette lawyer had found it suspicious, he had not said so to Ennis, although Ennis lately noticed that Jack acted differently around him. But on that afternoon, it had been too much for him to handle and with no other option, he abruptly left.

And that had been the moment.

The moment he drove away that day, almost two months ago, was the moment he realized that Jack Twist was driving him completely mad. The moment he admitted there was a physical attraction.

His feelings back on that day were so out of control that he wasn't able to face them, not even acknowledge their existence. All of that had been on his mind when he drove away that day. He almost didn't make it home. He had felt all that jealousy the first time he met Frederic Dawson and now it was even worse.

Worse, because Jack seemed to freely accept Frederic's flattery. The blond tall man was circling Jack like a shark and there was nothing Ennis could do. All because Ennis had been stupid enough to lose his chance with Jack.

Ennis felt the adrenaline pounding through his veins as the need to stop Frederic grew inside him. Ennis was normally a calm man, but when he lost his temper, he turned into something completely different. It was a part of being Texan that he could never really change. Against everything his mind was telling him, he followed his heart. In a matter of seconds, he was standing there, facing Jack, not even looking at Frederic. Opening his mouth, he said the first lame thing he could think of.

"Hi, Jack. Can we talk?" He tried to hide the jealousy from his voice but it came through loud and clear. He needed to take Jack away from Frederic.

"I'm busy now, Ennis. Can't it wait?" Jack said coldly, understanding immediately what was going on, even though he was surprised.

"It has waited long enough." He said, putting his hand on Jack's shoulder. He didn't do anything else, as Frederic pushed him away seconds before he could actually do anything.

"You heard what Jack said. We're in the middle of a conversation. Please, Ennis, don't be rude." Frederic said with authority.

"Was I speaking to you? I don't think so! This is between _me_ and _Jack_." Ennis said, looking Frederic in the eyes.

"So you think you can come here and talk to me like that." The other lawyer said. "I'm Frederic Dawson! No one dares talk to me like that, especially not at this firm!"

"I don't care at all about who you are and I do as I please. Mind your business."

"Funny, I was going to say the exact same thing."

Jack stood there watching the exchange without a word until it was clear that Ennis would eventually punch the other man in the face. Jack knew how disastrous that would be. Looking at the other lawyers that were already watching them, Jack made up his mind. If he moved quickly, this could still be seen as a normal argument between two colleagues.

"Ok Ennis, let's talk. Frederic, I'm sorry, we'll talk about it later. I may even call you." Jack said with a serious look.

"It's ok, Jack. I understand you have some _problems_ to solve. I'll wait till you finish that." Frederic said sweetly to Jack and without another word, he left the hall, entering one of the elevators.

"Can we talk in my office?" Ennis said slightly relieved, but starting to panic as he realized he had absolutely nothing planned in his mind to say to Jack.

"Of course." They walked in silence until they entered the office, Ennis first followed by Jack.

As Jack turned to close the door, he felt Ennis's body push against him. Ennis was looking down at him, one hand up against the door, the other on Jack's chest. Jack forgot to breathe as he looked to those deep brown eyes. He was surprised to find signs of pain in them. He had not expected that.

Ennis had been hurt by their unexpected break up, he realized. But how sorry was he? How far was he willing to go? And how much was he able to forgive to keep this crazy feeling he had for Ennis?

He wanted to hold Ennis, to make him understand that it was _him_ that he loved. That it was _him_ he wanted and no one else. Because he'd realized that during the last month. He had never fallen so hard before. But there was an enormous wall of anger and disappointment between them and he couldn't find it in himself to make the first move. Jack thought maybe talking was a good idea after all. Perhaps they could still save the friendship they shared in the earlier days.

But Jack didn't get a chance to start talking as Ennis's mouth moved closer to his, silently asking permission for something they both wanted, craved even, for the past month. Being closer to Ennis was awakening other feelings in Jack. A month can be an awfully long time for those who wait and Jack _had_ waited. So he didn't even blink when their lips came together. Jack lost all the restraints he had left in him and every rational thought between them was dismissed.

* * *

**Author: **_This chapter was all about Ennis's feelings. I included a few other perspectives I left out the first time. Still it's quite the same thing, just much better written. _

_**On the next chapter:**__ After the jealousy comes confront with the reality. Will Ennis and Jack find a way to be together again? Or is it much too late? _


	7. First Date

_**Author's Note: **__Thank you so very much for my friend _Kathy (**kittie8571**_) who is the Beta of this story!_

_Thank you everybody for the reviews! Especially __**onefreetoroam, rchglphpa**__ and __**Kate Andromeda.**_

* * *

**Chapter Seven: The First Date**

Jack lost himself in the sensations of that unexpected kiss. He had missed Ennis, much more than he was willing to admit. Having him in his arms again was a divine feeling; a blessing for his recent hurt. In other circumstances, he would rejoice in the moment, but this was clearly not of those.

It was at that moment his rational, emotionally broken side overtook him. This was wrong and he wouldn't let it continue much longer.

"No… Ennis stop!" Jack said pushing Ennis away.

"Jack." Ennis whispered, taking a step closer to Jack.

"Stop right there. What the hell do you think you're doing Ennis?" Jack was looking directly into Ennis's eyes and they were shining with tears.

"Jack, it's not what you think." Ennis said, sounding apologetic.

"I hope so. Because right now, it seems to me that some _straight_ guy is hitting on me in a big way. What is it, Ennis? You need your gay fuck again?" Jack was losing his temper again. Watching him say curse words was somehow traumatic. Completely out of character, Ennis thought. But he'd learned that when Jack was furious, he turned into a completely different man.

"For God's sake, Jack, don't say those things. It hurts to hear."

"Terrific! 'Cause it's hurting a helluva lot more for me. Has been since you left me alone in that hotel." Jack said, turning his back to Ennis.

"Jack…" Ennis murmured, resting a hand on Jack's shoulder. But Jack moved away quickly.

"What is _wrong_ with you? You dump me like trash and now, just a few weeks later, you can't stand to see me talk with another man?"

"This isn't about that idiot."

"Really? 'Cause it looked like that to me. What was it? You thought I was going to live in celibacy because your dick wasn't gonna visit my ass anymore?"

"Jack, please. I know you're angry, but stop being so vulgar."

"Why? Can't the king of all straight guys think about my ass without feeling sick? Are you that much of a hypocrite?"

Ennis moved so that he was facing Jack. With his eyes wide open and a serious expression on his face, Ennis made Jack shiver.

"I remember okay! I've _been_ remembering since the day I left you at that miserable hotel. The way we kissed, the taste of your mouth, the softness of your skin, the sounds of your moans, your expression when you came… Yes Jack, I CAN REMEMBER!" The scream made Jack start trembling even more. He'd never seen Ennis act this way, not even when they fought in Ennis's apartment.

Ennis sighed and continued. "I can't seem to think about anything else. I don't even know who I am anymore. Something changed for me that night."

Ennis was calmer now, so he found a chair and sat down, waiting for Jack to respond.

"Are you serious, Ennis? Do you…" Jack couldn't find the strength to say anything more.

"Yes. I meant everything I said. I'm not here to talk about Frederic. I mean, _of course_ I felt jealous. He looks so confident with his sexy attitude and I'm the pathetic guy who doesn't know what the hell he wants. I figured you'd forget about me and go for him and that made me insanely jealous." Ennis said looking at the floor.

"Ennis…"

"No wait, let me finish." Ennis raised his hand to stop Jack from speaking. "Since you went to Greece, I've been thinking. _A lot_. You were right. I do have feelings for you that I don't understand. I've never felt this way before and it's both a curse and a blessing at the same time. But, I can't fight those feelings either, Jack. Even now, the simple thought of what I felt, of what I _feel_, is enough to make me completely irrational. These last four weeks have been the longest of my entire life! I've missed you so much, I can hardly stand it. Ask Elizabeth… she'll tell you."

"Ennis, what do you want from me?" There was no anger in Jack's voice or bitterness in his expression. "Is it only forgiveness?"

"I want your forgiveness, yes. For my attitude, for the way I left you on that day, for everything... Jack, can you ever forgive me?" He raised his eyes hoping to see Jack's reaction to all that he had said.

"I don't know. It still hurt a lot. I guess you need to show me that you're really sorry." Jack moved one step closer.

"I am. So sorry. So sorry that I don't want just your forgiveness. I'd like another chance…" The last part had been a whisper, but Jack had heard. His eyes widened and his pulse ran faster. He couldn't believe his ears.

"Are you serious?"

"I'll do whatever you want, Jack. But please give me another chance. I wasn't really aware of what was happening the first time around. I was childish and inconsiderate, but I'm willing to show you that I'm really nothing like that. Don't forget that this whole "being gay" thing is all new to me." Ennis played with his hands nervously until one of them cupped Jack's face. Touching Jack's jaw lightly, Ennis showed him that even having taken this important first step, he still wasn't totally comfortable with his feelings. Jack made up his mind about their next step.

"Ennis, let's start everything anew." He said seriously. "It's the best way for you to show me just how much you want this to work."

"I don't get it. What do you want to do?" Ennis was puzzled with Jack's attitude.

"We're starting fresh, as if we'd never met before. Let's forget everything else."

"And how are we going to do that?"

"_You_ are going to take _me_ on a date Friday night." Jack said, smiling like the cat that ate the canary. He was a completely different man than the one who had entered Ennis's office a few minutes ago.

"You want me to take you on a date? Just like that?" Ennis asked.

"Yup. Let's do this right. I want to go step by step on this one. It's better for both of us. I'm sure it will help you too."

"A date, hmm? If you think it's a good idea. I guess we need the time to do some serious talking. There are still a lot of things I need to tell you."

"Yes, Ennis we do. But until Friday I think we should give each other the time and the space to think. I'm still kinda in shock. I can't believe you're actually acting like a grown-up for a change." Jack said, allowing himself to smile.

"That's what you think, Jack? Maybe you're right. Even I can't seem to understand some of my actions lately. I've never acted this way before." Ennis took a deep breath. "When I woke up on that morning, it finally hit me. Ennis Del Mar, you might be gay, I thought. All of the sudden, I found myself on a plane back to New York. Yes, it was childish, running away like that, avoiding the inevitable. Maybe if you knew me better you'd understand. I don't deal well with my feelings and I have a lot of trust issues. I'm not used to having anyone in my life either." Ennis looked at the floor and Jack could see that he was remembering something more than just their latest actions.

"It's okay, Ennis. It's okay." Jack reached his arms around Ennis's shoulders and slightly cradled him like a baby. Ennis couldn't believe that something so simple could make him feel so much better and Jack was once again surprised with the ease that his heart accepted Ennis. It was all so simple between them for him. He hoped Ennis could feel that way too.

"Jack..."

"Shhh. Let's just enjoy the moment." Jack whispered in Ennis's ear.

They stood there for a few more minutes, enjoying the feeling of being physically close to each other until Jack decided he needed to go home and make up his mind. "Cleaning house," he told Ennis. And Ennis noticed that they had not yet kissed again.

Ennis stayed there for a few more minutes looking around his office, remembering each and every word that had been exchanged between him and Jack. How much more he wanted to have said. He thought about calling Elizabeth, asking her for some advice, maybe about what to expect and how to behave on Friday on the date. He changed his mind. Jack was probably calling her now. Ennis could phone her later.

Grabbing his briefcase from the floor, Ennis went to the elevators. He smiled slightly, imagining how mad Frederic Dawson would be if he knew what had just happened. In some ironic point of view, it had somehow been entirely his fault.

* * *

Jack couldn't stop smiling while he drove home. He kept remembering Ennis's words. He was still astonished. Ennis confessed that he had missed him the entire month, that he had feelings for him, that he wanted to be with him and that he was probably gay. At the very least, he was considering that possibility. God, all at once and in no more than four sentences, Jack thought. It was typical of Ennis and Jack knew it. No need to waste words.

Jack knew he should be angrier with Ennis, but the more he recalled the hurt in Ennis's voice, the more he let go of the last four weeks of pain. It still hurt to remember the night in Madrid, but the elation of hearing Ennis beg for a second chance was too much to handle. There was something about Ennis he couldn't escape; a magnetic attraction he couldn't resist, not that he'd want to. That was one of the reasons Jack had decided they should go on a date like any normal couple. Jack needed time alone and the truth was that if he had stayed with Ennis much longer, they would have ended up making out on the floor of Ennis's office or worse. Not that it wouldn't have been good, but it sure wouldn't have been healthy for their future relationship. Starting fresh was the best decision and Jack had a few surprises for Ennis along the way. He wanted to help Ennis deal with this new phase in his life but he also wanted to reign in his own wild feelings.

Arriving at his apartment, Jack opened the door and removed his jacket. Matilda, his precious Mexican maid, left him a delicious dinner that made the whole apartment smell good. He decided that he needed to share these latest events with someone before dinner, so he picked his phone and dialed the well-used number.

"Hi Jack. How are yah, kid?" Elizabeth's voice sounded concerned.

"Fine. I mean, great… Well it's hard to tell now." Jack said smiling.

"You're making me curious. Did something happen that I should know about? No, wait, don't tell me. Ennis talked to you."

"How could you know we talked? Do you have bugs in our offices now?"

"I don't need 'em, kid. I know you two well enough. Ennis is just like me, he just needed some time to make up his mind."

"It seems to me you don't need to know anything more. You have this all figured it out."

"Don't play with me. I want to know everything, every dirty little detail. Don't forget I'm an old, lonely woman, Jack. I need this to keep me alive."

"Ok, ok. But first, let me ask you a question. Did Ennis ask about me during my stay in Greece?"

"He didn't need to. The way he looked, the way he kept asking stupid question about the Katsoranis' case, looking for hours and hours at the calendar. It was all too clear to me. I even wonder if some other colleagues didn't notice. Let me ask _you_ something. Do you know why the hell Ennis kept wearing the same blue polo almost twice a week?"

"Blue polo?" Jack said, trying to remember something. Then the answer hit him hard. "I can't believe it! It must have been the same polo he wore the night we spent together in Madrid. You're kidding, right?"

"No. I thought it would be something like that. It was driving me insane with curiosity. I'm sure you liked hearing this little detail too, didn't you?"

"It means something to me, I can't deny that."

"Aren't you forgetting something? The details! Now tell me _everything_."

"Well, I didn't really want to face Ennis this soon so I just avoided him all day, but when I was leaving to go home at the end of the day, Frederic Dawson appeared in front of me, demanding my attention. He had some silly story about his latest case and some last minute details of the Katsoranis' case. I was having a few laughs when out of nowhere, Ennis was in front of me, burning with jealousy. Even a _blind_ man could have seen it."

"Why does that not surprise me? What did he do?"

"I'm getting there. I was _furious_! How could he act that way? He started to argue with Frederic like some kind of possessive husband. I was so mad, I thought I was going to punch him in the face when we arrived at his office. But then we kissed. I had missed him so much that I couldn't resist, and neither could he. But then I lost my mind and told him everything I was feeling, including some rather nasty remarks I had kept to myself for quite a long time. It wasn't pretty."

"I can just imagine what you told him." Elizabeth snickered.

"Ennis confessed how sorry he was. Told me he needed a second chance. Kept talking to my heart until I decided we needed to start again. So that was when I told him we should go on a date."

"Date? I see… That could be a good idea."

"That's what I thought. I want to forget about the rest. Maybe not everything, but at least the "not gay" part. So now Ennis is going to take me on a date Friday night and I'm hoping this time, it'll be different."

"I would love to be a fly on the wall of that restaurant. But Jack, don't expect too much from the kid, he's still confused. From my past experience, this might take a lot of time. Perhaps he'd already thought about it in the last month or perhaps he hadn't."

"I know. I want this to work. I really feel like he could be the one, you know?"

"Yes Jack. I know you well."

"Thanks for listening to me, Elizabeth."

"No need for that, kid."

"Bye, Beth."

"I love when you call me that. Bye, Jack."

* * *

Ennis was getting more and more nervous as the time passed by. The entire week had been a rollercoaster of stress and pressure; a battle between what Ennis should do and what he really wanted. All of this surrounding the now thought of as 'mythical' first date with Jack. He was dying of anticipation. 

He was now feeling much more confident about the decision he had made. This was the right thing to do. Starting slow and gentle, giving him time to adjust with this "being gay." He wasn't trying to fool himself, he was gay. He was physically attracted to a man, had sex with a man, and was trying to have a relationship with a man. The facts were stronger than all of the prejudicial thoughts in his head.

He was still not sure how to explain that he had never realized this fact before and the idea of bisexuality didn't enter into his mind, but he was leaving those thoughts for later. Without better options, he used his logic of being a lawyer to cease the battle in his head. It felt great but it soon took him to a different set of problems to handle.

The first one was the need to plan and put in action an unforgettable first date. He decided he couldn't ask Elizabeth for help. He needed to prove something to Jack. He just didn't quite know what that was yet. But planning it all by himself felt right and Ennis was acting on instinct only lately. It seemed to work better for him.

A number of phone calls and a few headaches later, Ennis had it all planed. It took him a few days to come up with something that was different but still in the traditional date style. Just the way he liked it the most. He had thought of something slightly different and quite wild, but he felt that their first date should be a smooth one.

The Amazing Race on the other side of the planet needed to wait until they weren't in the "seduction zone" any more. Or perhaps the right expression was waiting for the "safe zone."

Looking in the mirror for the third time in the last minute, Ennis decided it was time to drive all the way to Jack's apartment. All the expectations were driving him crazy. He had never dated a man before so he didn't know how to behave during the evening. Was he supposed to act any differently?

After a few hours of serious thinking, he decided that the best thing to do would be facing it as a normal date. He'd trust his instincts and do everything to make Jack feel comfortable, make him feel that this was the right thing for both of them and that he wanted it just as much as Jack.

But it wasn't easy. Jack was a rich man who had seen the world two or more times. What could surprise a man who probably had dated millionaires and supermodels? Ennis had never thought about it before. So, after a lot of thinking, he got the perfect idea. And he had to smile because it was clearly an Ennis Del Mar original.

Looking at the white orchids in his right hand, Ennis shook his head. Something about this date seemed strangely odd. Maybe it was because he was battling every single aspect inside his head. He had an obsession for perfection this time that he had never felt before on any of his previous dates.

His mind was running out of control. Offering flowers to Jack seemed like a nice idea yesterday. Today it looked like an offense to the musculanity of his date. He just couldn't make up his mind anymore.

Jack felt the extreme relief wash over him when the bell rang. All day, a small part of him kept telling himself that Ennis would eventually change his mind, and he was now relieved with the sight of the opposite.

"Hi, Ennis. Come on in. I'm just going to pick a scarf. It's incredibly windy today." Jack said, pretending to be calmer than he really was.

"Hi, Jack." Ennis said looking oddly at Jack, who, to him, seemed to be avoiding his gaze. Trying not to panic, he decided to look at Jack. He was wearing the same casual European style that he remembered from the Magnet party at Elizabeth's house. He had looked good back then and now was no different.

During the last few days, Ennis had made a sport out of looking and staring at Jack without being noticed. He wasn't comfortable thinking about doing the same thing to any other man, but he couldn't help it when it was those blue eyes and that shapely ass that came into view. If there was something he knew about life, it was that there was no point fighting against feelings and urges. He had forgotten that for a few moments but now it was strongly placed in his mind again. _Follow his instincts_. It was the lead of the night.

"Enjoying the view?" Jack asked, disappearing inside a room, not really waiting for an answer. Ennis felt his cheeks heat. Thankfully Jack couldn't see him blushing. He didn't want to look like a school girl but he couldn't help it either. How Jack knew that he was staring at his ass, Ennis would never know.

"You have a very nice apartment. I wouldn't have expected anything else." Ennis said causally, trying desperately to feel less nervous.

But it was true. Jack's apartment was modern and spacious. Not to mention his amazing location. It surely had been a small fortune, probably a present from Enrique. That idea suddenly made him feel even more uncomfortable and Ennis dismissed those thoughts.

"Thank you. Matilda is the one to blame." Jack answered from the other room.

"Matilda?" Ennis asked curiously.

"Yes. She does the cleaning in my apartment. Actually, she works for my father, used to be my nanny. I see her as family… like a godmother." Jack answer, standing next to Ennis, with a blue scarf around his neck and a black one in his right hand. "I noticed you forget yours at home. Take this one."

"It's not really that windy, you know?" Ennis said rolling his eyes, but accepted the scarf nonetheless.

"Yeah, yeah…" Jack answered, looking curiously at Ennis's right arm, which was hiding something behind his back.

"But first, I've got something for you." Ennis placed the white orchids right in front of him, waiting nervously for a reaction.

"Oh Ennis, that's very sweet of you." Jack said smiling.

"Was it a good idea? I kept thinking it didn't seem right to offer flowers." Ennis waved his hand in front of Jack's face, asking him without words to let him finish. "I wanted to thank you for this chance and orchids are very beautiful and distinct flowers. It's a flower that looks so perfect and modern that it makes me think about you. It's also a flower that takes everything with time. Do you know it takes a year just to grow from the tubercle?"

The last part was almost a whisper. Ennis, who never seemed to utter a sentence with more than five words, except when he was nervous or furious, was giving a speech about orchids. The man he loved was trying his best to express himself for him. And Jack tried to understand the secret meanings of some of his words. Because that was the way with Ennis. Nothing important was openly said. The important things were hidden between all the others, like riddles and metaphors in a text. Yes, Jack Twist was trying hard to fight back tears.

"Thank you, thank you. Orchids are my favorite flowers form now on."

"I've learned a lot about flowers with my mum. She used to have a lot of books back on the ranch."

"Then that makes them even more important." Jack said putting them in a jar in the living room and trying desperately to dry some of the tears.

"Jack. Just… let's have fun, ok? Don't think too much, that's my job."

"Ok." Jack said smiling and they both left Jack's apartment together.

* * *

"So Ennis, where are we going? We're not going to dinner just yet, it's too soon. Actually I was surprised with the timing. Even more surprised to find out that Elizabeth is totally clueless about this. She had absolutely no idea where you're taking me."

"I bet you've tried hard to find out everything you could."

"Believe me, I tried everything -- even blackmailing -- she just didn't know." Jack said moving around in his seat, right next to Ennis, in his car.

"You're excited, aren't you?" Ennis said without taking his eyes from the road. "And you wasted your time, she really doesn't know. I suspected that sharing my planes with her wasn't such a good idea."

"You thought about everything. This is really driving me crazy! Where are we going? An airport? Ennis we can't leave the country, we've got work to do!"

"Can you trust me with this one?" Ennis said looking him in the eye.

"Of course. But dad is going to kill me and Elizabeth may not be too happy either."

"Don't worry. We're not going to leave the country. As a matter of fact, we're not even leaving New York!"

"Okay, now I'm _really_ curious. How is that possible?"

Ennis drove to the zone of the private airplanes and stopped in front of a few modern helicopters. Jack's mouth was hanging open. He had never expected something like that.

"Are you going to stay there?" Ennis asked amused with Jack's reaction. A very silent Jack followed him until they stopped next to a shiny black helicopter.

"Jack, we're going to fly together today. As the first part of our date, I'm going to take you on a trip around the city. You may actually be the guide since I've been living here for only a few months. I'll take you to all the places you like most."

"God. I wasn't expecting this. Do you really know how to fly?"

"Yes. I had this professor in Austin who owned a very old helicopter. He showed me how to fly and later paid for me to get lessons with a real teacher." Ennis said, remembering Mr. McGonagal.

"You're full of surprises, you know that?"

"Sometimes, I even surprise myself." They smiled as they both entered the helicopter.

"Let's do this." Jack said placing the silencers in his ears.

"Where do you want to go first?"

"Just fly around the city. Can we pass by the firm?"

"You want to show off?"

"I may call Elizabeth. She's probably still there." Jack said laughing.

"Do you think Frederic is working late today?" Tthe two of them laughed together.

* * *

"This was great. I've never had so much fun in my entire life. In 30 years, I had never thought about a date involving helicopters. This was something else, Ennis."

"Glad you liked it. Now let's be less original and have dinner at some nice, quiet restaurant. What do you think?"

"Sounds perfect. I just need to send a message to Elizabeth."

Ennis packed all the things inside the helicopter. He didn't tell Jack, but he'd borrowed the helicopter from the private collection of Mr. Santos. He had originally thought about renting one, but due to the short period of time in which he had to plan, it had been impossible. He had almost given up on the idea when he remembered a conversation with Mr. Santos about his holdings in New York. The old man eagerly agreed, with the condition that Ennis wouldn't tell anyone about the deal. Mr. Santos didn't want to be seen as someone "generous." He somehow thought that such a thing was like an insult.

Looking at Jack, who was happily sending text messages to Elizabeth, Ennis felt pure joy. The entire flight was calm and peaceful. They had talked about many fears and doubts. Ennis was the one who had more of both, but it was nice to hear that Jack also had some. It made him feel full of hope.

"Hey Ennis. I'm still here!" Jack said looking at him curiously.

"Sorry, I was thinking about our flight."

"Come on, I'm terribly hungry." Jack said pushing Ennis to the car.

* * *

The dinner went smoothly. The conversation was perfect, the environment was splendid, and the food was amazing. They discussed some of the problems they needed to sort out. First, they decided to not work together in the near future, giving themselves time to deal with their personal lives. Second, they decided to stick with the previous decision of going slow, with some traditional and fun dates. And to finish, they decided to have Mondays at Ennis's house and Wednesdays at Jack's for some casual talk and for watching some games together. They liked the friendship they shared and wanted it to be a base for everything else that might happen.

At the end of the night when Ennis kissed Jack good night, he couldn't help but wonder how everything can change. How a single moment in a man's life can change the way he sees the world. How love can really change a man. How the knowledge of the love can change attitudes. Ennis, who had originally run, was now praying to never move away. Ennis, who had seduced, was now shy and unconfident. Life was full of changes.

Yes, Ennis could finally see that he was in love.

A powerful and unique love, Ennis thought as they came up for air, their lips red and swollen, and their breaths heavy and fast. And as he watching Jack going through the door to leave him alone with his own hard cock, the result of the "small steps date program," he realized that some things never change. Jack Twist surely knew how to drive him to the edge, how to leave him totally irrational and begging for more.

* * *

**Author: **_There were several changes on the argument between Ennis and Jack. Some things weren't quite clear in the first version. I love the way Jack loses his mind completely when his furious, he seems someone else completely different. It's definitely something related to his need for control! _

_**On the next chapter:**__ Ennis decides to change a lot of things in his life, starting with a new pet! And who is the mysterious Mary Bingley? _


	8. Saturday to make friends

_**Author's Note:**__ Thank you so very much for my friend _Kathy (**kittie8571**) who is the Beta of this story!

_Thank you everybody for the reviews! Especially __**Dementia**__**-12, **__**Agustina, onefreetoroam **__and__** Kate**__** Andromeda.**_

* * *

**Chapter Eight: Saturday to make friends **

Jack was in high spirits. Since he had returned home from his date last night, the world was a better place. Or so it seemed to him. There was a peaceful contentment in his heart and a smile on his face. It was like being a teenager again. The hopes and dreams, the fears and doubts, the desire… Yes, Jack Twist was falling hard for a nice, blond lawyer from Texas .

He arrived at the firm even earlier than usual. He couldn't sleep any longer. Too much excitement. The heart was beating fast and the body could no longer stay still. He kept remembering every single detail of last night.

Stepping out of the elevator, Jack saw the familiar silhouette of Elizabeth buzzing around the empty office. She was talking to herself, desperately pushing all the buttons of the new copy machine. At this hour of the day, the secretaries of the firm hadn't yet arrived and there was no one available to make photocopies but the younger lawyers who would eventually end up doing a miserable job of it.

The senior attorneys didn't normally work on Saturdays, leaving the firm for the younger, less experienced lawyers. Jack and Ennis, despite his newness to the firm, were two of the important attorneys who usually didn't need to work on Saturday. If something important came along, someone would call or e-mail them. Otherwise, they would work at home.

"Good morning, Beth." Elizabeth jumped from the spot where she was standing and almost fell out of her high heeled shoes. They were light pink that morning, Jack noticed.

"Jesus, kid, you trying to kill me?" She asked, rearranging her long blond curls.

"I would never do that. If you died who would take care of me?" Jack asked amused.

"You have your dad, Matilda and now you have Ennis." She said with a _devilish smile_. "Or am I wrong?"

"Well it's not really "have". We're only dating."

"And?"

"And what?"

"Come on, I want the juicy stuff from last night!"

"You're dirty, little woman…" Jack laughed and without a word helped her with the photocopies. "I will tell you, just first tell me what you're doing at work at 6 am on a Saturday? Is it your baseball player again? I would kill him if he was my client."

"I could ask you the same question. I stayed working late on a difficult case, and when I realized it was 4 am, I decided to stay and make some phone calls to Europe. Now I was going to make some copies of a few e-mails and then go home to catch some sleep in my bed. What about you?"

"I couldn't sleep, then I remembered there were these files I had forgotten in my office. Since I have the key…"

"I see. Okay. I'll wait for you to pick them up and then let's go to Starbucks and have a nice long talk while my brain is still functioning."

"Are you sure you're ok? You look extremely tired."

"I feel great. Just don't be surprised if I call you tomorrow asking you to tell me everything all over again." They laughed together and then left, engaging in casual conversation.

* * *

It was Saturday afternoon and Ennis was lazily watching a soccer game on TV. He still missed his old friends from the last firm he had worked for. Moving to New York and working for the Magnet meant a better job, more opportunities and challenges, and an amazing salary. But it was also a cold place, full of competition and lies. He couldn't find a true friend without risking too much of his job. Jack was the exception, but he was the boss's son and they didn't stay just friends for long. Now with the scheduled "dates," they were taking some time alone to settle things until the next time they were together. Elizabeth was a different kind of friend. She was older with different interests and she was his godmother. He couldn't rely on her for that.

He was feeling terribly lonely and when he felt like this, he would remember the ranch. Yes, he could easily remember how it was when he lived there with his parents . The Sundays passed on the lake fishing and playing with the kids after school. He recalled walking with Spencer, his sweet, old dog, around the house,. Maybe he should get a pet, he thought, but then he rationalized, he didn't really have the time to keep it. Feeling frustrated, Ennis sighed. He could always find someone to take care of the pet and the house. He was really being paid more money than he could spend. With the exception of his improvements on the ranch, he was a very thrifty man and money had never been an issue since he began working as an attorney.

He'd made up his mind, turning off the TV and picking up the coat he left by the door. He was going to get a pet today.

As he entered the elevator, he immediately noticed her. The young and beautiful woman with whom he'd had a disastrous date, just before the Santos case. He felt utterly embarrassed about facing her. Back then, he thought, the woman would stop the increasing attraction he was feeling for Jack. A small part of him wanted to laugh at the memory. Another small part was terrified. In just over a month, he had become a different person. This woman, who he had once seen as attractive, was a now no more than a laughable memory. He could still see her beauty, he just couldn't feel the attraction anymore. And that was bringing back a set of different questions about him.

The beautiful brunette finally interrupted his thoughts.

"Hi Ennis? How have you been?" She said smiling. She didn't look resentful or bitter and Ennis relaxed.

"Good. And you, Veronica?"

"The hospital is still giving me headaches. But everything is pretty much the same." He remembered that she had told him she was a nurse at the hospital nearby. They arrived aon the ground floor and Ennis felt the need to take action -- do something unlikely.

Lately he was feeling so different, there were so many changes in his life. Maybe it was the moment to change a few things about the way he dealt with people. He wanted to make the most of this change, changing other things in the process too. In the last couple of days, he had learned a few things from Mr. Popularity, Jack Twist.

"Look, I know we didn't get off to a great start. We tried the dating thing, and that bombed, but I still need a friend around here. You're a really nice girl and even though the romantic thing didn't work out, I'd like us to be friends, if you'd be okay with that." He smiled shyly, thinking how ridiculous this offer sounded.

She pursed her lips, thinking for a few moments. "You're right, Ennis. We both have complicated lives with demanding jobs and little free time. Let's just forget we ever had that date and concentrate on being friends." She smiled at him honestly.

"Thank you. It's… I… I'm at a crossroads in my life. A lot of things are changing around me and I'm making amends. I really hope we can be good friends."

"Me too, Ennis. So, do you want to come around after dinner and have some hot tea? We could get to know each other better. If that doesn't sound too girly for you." She had a curious look on her face.

"No. Not at all. I agree that we should get to know each other better." Ennis thought for a second that maybe she knew he was gay. But if he wasn't sure himself, how could a stranger know?

"Then it's a date. Bye Ennis." She affectionately caressed his arm and moved away.

"Bye Veronica."

She walked to left and Ennis proceeded to the right, walking in the direction of the pet shop. Another big change in his life, he thought. He was getting a pet after almost fifteen years since Spencer had died. Old age the vet had told him, but Ennis had cried nonetheless.

The question now was what type of pet? He still lived in a small apartment, so the space was limited. There was no way he could get a dog, at least not one that he was used to. Maybe the best idea would be a cat. Not very masculine, he thought. Jack could even joke with him about how pussy he had become. But those were stereotypes he was fighting against now.

He suddenly realized he had been staring at the shop window for quite a long time, so he decided to enter and take a proper look. The shop was all in shades of purple and green, full with posters of cartoon animals. The owner, an old woman with the most perfect long white hair, seemed like the grandmother in the Tweety cartoons. It was a funny place, bizarre even.

"Good afternoon. How can I help you, young man?" Ennis tried hard not to stare at her ridiculous glasses.

"Good afternoon. I'm thinking about getting myself a pet. I just can't seem to make up my mind about which one."

"Well, I certainly can help you. Please tell me, do you live in a flat or a house, sir?" She looked at Ennis carefully.

"Flat, madam. I've already icksnayed dogs. I just don't have the time to keep one."

"Busy man, I see. Of course. There's also the limited space. How about a cat? You seem like a cat's man." She looked at him from the top of her perfectly rounded glasses.

"Really? Why do you say so? I confess, I had thought about a cat, but wasn't really sure about it."

"You're single in your late twenties, trying to find company in a new pet. You're a busy man with a good life. You're a loner. Cats are lonely creatures too and they like to be loved but left alone. The concept of personal space doesn't really end in humans, it exists in all animals. Cats need them to be mentally healthy."

"I see your point. So what would you recommend?" Ennis was surprised with the older woman and he didn't hide it very well.

"I have just what you need, sir."

Ennis watched the elderly woman enter a small door behind her. He tried to focus his attention on the cat section, picking up a few items he predicted he would need. This was typical of Ennis. Once he made up his mind about something, there was no need to waste time. He may eventually regret it, but once he made a decision, there was no going back. This time was no different. There would be a cat in his house by the end of the afternoon, no matter what.

"Well, here it is. The little one." The older woman told him, giving him a small white kitten. It was a ball of fur, slightly bigger than Ennis hands, so fragile and delicate that Ennis felt fear for it. It was incredibly cute, he had to admit. It would look good on every little girl's lap.

Ennis knew that Jack would love it. But damn it, he thought, it really looked like a woman's cat. But he felt man enough to have it. Just because he recently realized that he was gay didn't mean he wasn't comfortable enough with his masculinity to own a kitten.

"It's a white Persian with long fur, not very common and very beautiful. When it gets older, you can even enter it in competitions. It's a very distinctive friend for a young man who seems to have every thing in life." She smiled, looking at him wisely.

"Not everything. I'll take it." He said, surprising the old woman, who was still watching him with curiosity.

"Ok. Do you want me to help you with the list of things you will need?"

"Sure. That would be nice."

"Don't forget that in a few days you will need to find a good vet. Now let's see what you will need…"

* * *

A few minutes later, Ennis stepped outside the shop with his arms full of bags and a very cute kitten meowing inside of his traveling box. He was almost home when his cell phone rang. He reached into his left pocket and looked at the screen, seeing Elizabeth's name.

"Ennis Del Mar."

"Hi kid, it's me, Elizabeth."

"Hi. Calling me? Shouldn't you be conspiring against me with Jack? Don't tell me -- he didn't give you all the details about last night and now you're calling me because you're desperate."

She laughed. "Of course he told me. He knows better than to say no to me about things like that. Actually, I'm calling to ask you a favor. "

"Go ahead and ask. I'll see what I can do for my godmother."

"You're in good spirits, aren't you? Well, I need you to bring me some photographs. I'm leaving for Europe this Sunday and with all these last minute things, I forgot to pick up some important photographs from a local detective. Her name is Mary Bingley, I'll send you the address by e-mail. She'll be waiting for you."

"Fine with me. Just let me ask you, why are you asking me and not Jack? He knows the city better. What's this all about?" Ennis asked, curious.

"Well… Guess you'll find out eventually. "She sighed and continued." Mary and I got together a few years ago. Then she went to Canada because of work and we split. Jack knows how important she is to me. She was the only woman I had feelings for after Jessica. You can imagine what may happen if Jack finds out she's back and working with me again. And I don't want nor need that kind of pressure on me. Can I count on your discretion?"

"Okay, but only because I know how excited he might become and how unpleasant that will be for you. But you'll have to tell him sooner or later. I can't afford to keep these kinds of secrets. He will find out, believe me!" Ennis said in a humorous tone.

"Thank you Ennis, I own you a big one. Bye."

"Anything for my favorite godmother. Bye Elizabeth."

He reached the front door of the building and a loud meow reminded him that the small, as yet unnamed kitten was impatiently waiting to be released from his traveling box. Ennis unconsciously smiled. He was happy to have a new, small friend. As ridiculous as that sounded, it was the truth. This had been a small pleasure, one he had denied himself for far too long.

Entering the elevators, Ennis heard his cell phone beep. The sound of a text message. God was this day going to get even more busy or what? he thought. He sincerely hoped it wasn't someone from the firm or anything related to work.

Opening his door, he opened the box and sitting on the sofa, he placed the small kitten on his lap. The cat looked frightened and Ennis knew it would take him some time to get used to his new home. He finally reached for his cell phone. The text message was from Jack, which was enough to make him smile wildly. He eagerly clicked to open it.

JUST TO SAY I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT YOU.

They hadn't talked since yesterday. Ennis understood the need for space that they both were feeling, but he too had been thinking about Jack. The passion he had been feeling, the passion he felt that night in Madrid, was driving him crazy, pushing him to the edge of his free will. He missed Jack, everything about him, and being with him a few hours a day wasn't enough. It was terrifying to feel this kind of addiction for someone. He felt vulnerable, like he'd never been before.

Ennis had been a lonely man all his life. He'd had friends and girlfriends but he never had someone to truly trust and therefore no one he truly loved. It all began many years ago, when Ennis was nothing more than a young boy of 10 years old. He lived on the ranch with his parents and his favorite uncle, Jeremiah Del Mar. Jeremiah was Ennis's idol. He would usually ride with him and help him with all his duties at the ranch. Uncle Jeremiah worked with the horses and the cattle. Ennis learned everything he knew about horses with his uncle. The older man had an infinite supply of patience with which to answer Ennis's infinite questions. He loved to hear his uncle's stories about the time he rodeo'd and about the time he had left to work in the city as a teenager.

Everything was great until one morning, Ennis woke up and Jeremiah was gone. His parents never told him why, but he heard in town that his uncle had robbed some of the neighbors and had even stolen a large amount of money from the ranch. All of this to run away with some married lady. Ennis was profoundly disappointed and the feeling of betrayal never really went away.

From that day on, he was a different person. The result of this childhood episode in his adult life was profound and even knowing the source of the feeling, the reason for the fears, Ennis couldn't help but feel insecure about trusting anybody.

Maybe it was time to tell somebody about this story and maybe Jack was the right person, but it had to wait till Ennis felt more convinced. It was all still so new. Right now he had a text message to answer and he was happy about it.

I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT YOU TOO. YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO BELIEVE WHAT I JUST BOUGHT. WANT TO COME OVER TOMORROW TO SEE IT? FOR LUNCH MAYBE?

Ennis knew how curious Jack was, how he loved a good mystery. Even being careful about the need for small steps in their relationship, he would still accept Ennis's invitation. He was too curious and Ennis was thankful because he couldn't seem to pass another day without seeing him. The beep of his own cell phone woke him from his thoughts again.

OK. BUT ONLY BECAUSE I CAN'T RESIST A SECRET OR BEING WITH YOU. SEE YOU TOMORROW 1 PM. I'M NOT EATING YOUR COOKING. BYE

Ennis caressed the little kitty, thinking that Jack was going to change his mind about his cooking tomorrow. After all, the message almost sounded like a challenge. He looked at his lap, thinking about a name for the kitten.

The old lady from the shop told him that it was a healthy male of six weeks, still without a name. He looked into its clear grey eyes. They were almost white.

"What are we going to call you?" He said the sleepy cat. "Maybe Jack will have a good idea or maybe Veronica because I don't seem to have one."

* * *

Later that day, Ennis was ringing Veronica's bell, and a few seconds later, Veronica opened the door. She was wearing a simple white shirt and jeans. The casual style made her look more relaxed and less stressed.

"Hi. I hope its ok with you that I brought a friend." Ennis said hiding the kitten behind his back.

"A friend?" Veronica looked confused, trying to find someone behind Ennis.

"Not that kind of friend. It's my new cat." Ennis said showing her the small kitten in his arms.

"I didn't see him. Is it a male? Looks like it." She said holding the cat in her arms.

"Yes it is. But he doesn't have a name yet."

"No name?" She said waving her hand and stepping away to let Ennis enter the living room.

"I don't have any good ideas for a name yet. I brought him with me because I was afraid of leaving him all alone at the apartment. He's too young." Ennis sat down on the couch and looked around, observing the room. Ennis didn't care for interior design, but there was something about this place that screamed modernity and a little bit of Asian style. He was fascinated. Never had he seen a room with so much black furniture or red and white decors.

"I can see you are fascinated by the decoration. I could give you the name of the designer if you would like."

"I guess it's a bit too much for me. But I'm surprised. Don't remember the last time I was impressed with a home interior design. I'm not much of a fan."

"It's a pity. I just love it. Unfortunately, I don't have time to do it as a hobby. Do you have any interesting hobbies, Ennis?"

"Not really, but when I was young, I used to collect bugs that I found on the ranch. You remember? I told you about my childhood in Texas."

"Yes on that unforgettable date." She laughed at the memory, looking at Ennis. "I guess it's okay to laugh now. I had never been on a date with so little chemistry, or physics or anything else. But I do believe it was my fault. When I saw you move in, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to find a date. I wasn't expecting you to be so quiet and calm, so dissimilar from me. All your interests were so different, your background so unexpected. I felt so disappointed that I didn't even make an effort to look at you as a friend." She stopped to look at Ennis eyes. "I hope you're not insulted, Ennis. I'm being honest because I _do_ feel that we can become good friends. You must see that I'm nothing more than a spoiled city girl."

"We're very different and anyone can see that. I'm not insulted at all. But if we're being honest, I must tell you something… I went on that date with you because I was trying to forget someone else." He looked to the floor feeling suddenly very shy. "More like, trying to prevent having feelings for someone else…"

"I'm sure you weren't successful. But let's talk about less serious things. I doubt we feel comfortable enough with each other yet to discuss our love lives." She laughed a little. "I know I don't. It's going to scare you, I believe!"

"You're going to be bored with mine, so don't worry. I'll probably have your pity by the end of that tale!" They both laughed. "Don't forget I need your help naming this little thing."

Ennis and Veronica proceeded to engage in a lovely conversation that in the end left Ennis with the feeling that he had begun a good friendship, the first of many during his long stay in New York, he hoped.

* * *

_**Author:**Something I wrote in this chapter didn't make sense now. So that was all cut out! Also the conversation between Ennis and Veronica was improved._

_**On the next chapter:**__ Ennis and Jack had lunch together and everything seems to be getting better between them. The problem seems to be now, Enrique Twist! Also Ennis's new case is getting slightly personal. _


	9. The “B” Witness 1

_**Author's Note: **__Thank you so very much for my friend _Kathy (**kittie8571**_) who is the Beta of this story!_

_Thank you everybody for the reviews! Specially __**Sushoo, **__**Jada91, **__**Kate Andromeda**__ and __**rchglphpa.**_

* * *

**Chapter ****Nine: The "B" Witness (1)**

Ennis was totally focused on cooking. Walking around the kitchen, bare chest and feet with just his jeans, he was trying to control the boiling rice and the almost grilled salmon. The table was set but he knew he was late with the lunch and Jack would arrive soon. He liked to cook, but it seemed that it had been too long since he had actually cooked a meal for more than one person.

Looking at him with curiosity the still unnamed kitten was sitting near the kitchen door. Ennis left the final decision to Jack, for he couldn't seem to be able to decide. Veronica had given him a couple of good options but he wanted to share the decision with Jack.

When Ennis took a step toward the door, the kitten immediately started to chase Ennis's right foot, almost making the blond man fall to the ground.

"You trying to kill me, kitty? Just stay still." Ennis said, more sweetly and less furious than he intended. A few seconds after, the bell rang and Ennis moved to open the door desperate.

"Hi, come on in." He leaned slightly and kissed Jack quickly on the cheek, running to the kitchen. "I'm cooking our lunch and it's getting slightly out of control."

"And I thought that you showing up at the door half naked was a good sign for me."

"Already having second thoughts about the whole dating idea?" Ennis asked amused from the kitchen.

"No. Just because I refuse to act on temptation doesn't mean the temptation is not there." Jack said maneuvering around the table and sitting on the couch. "That would be too hypocrital of me."

"Don't tease me. I'm only human you know?" Was Ennis's loud answer from the kitchen.

"Yes. Actually I'm well aware…" Jack gasped, looking at the small kitten sniffing his shoes. "It seems to me that I just found the item you purchased yesterday. How cute!"

"I knew you were going to like him."

"Does he have a name?"

"Not yet. Veronica, my next door neighbor, convinced me to call him Neve or Grey. I was hoping you would help me pick one."

"Grey because of his eyes. But what about Neve? Where does that come from?" Jack asked while the kitty sniffed his hands.

"She told me it means snow in Spanish, or was it Portuguese? Italian perhaps."

"I see! Very clever of her. I like Neve, it's different."

"So Neve it is. I actually liked that one better too."

"What have I done to you, Ennis Del Mar? Buying fluffy, white cats… You're full of surprises."

"So you keep saying. Do you want to taste my lunch or what?" Ennis said appearing at the living room with the casserole of rice.

Jack leered at him, wetting his upper lip.

"Keep your dirty little remarks to yourself, Jack Twist. Don't forget you're at _my_ house now. You know what I'm capable of." Ennis suddenly remembered that night in Madrid and his happy expression was suddenly gone. He surely didn't mean it that way. He quickly looked at Jack but all he found was a smile in his face.

"Ennis, I understood you. No need to linger on bad memories. What's the point in teasing you if you can't tease me back?"

"Right." Ennis made a small smile, sitting at the head of the table.

Jack looked closely at Ennis. He really didn't like the one word answers coming from him. That usually meant that they were back at sqaure one. He wanted Ennis to feel relaxed and comfortable. He looked at the food on his plate, salmon with rice and something else that he couldn't quite figure out.

"What an odd combination. Fish with rice?"

"It's a very Asian, I know. Veronica told me to try it."

"Should I be jealous of this Veronica? She seems to be all around you."

"Never saw you as the possessive type. She's just a friend I've made. Just try to eat some, for my sake."

"You're right. Being possessive is _your_ expertise." Jack teased, putting some of the rice in his mouth.

"So?"

"Mmm. Very good. There's this really strange flavour…"

"It's the marjoram."

"Really? I should have known that you're a good cook. It suits you." Jack smiled, eating a piece of salmon.

"It suits me, city boy? Does that mean you can't cook?"

"It means you're not insane enough to eat my food. Matilda cooks for me and I'm happy and extremely thankful for that."

"I'm not that surprised." Ennis said and they both laughed loudly.

* * *

"I'm full. God, I can't remember the last time I ate so much. You're a really good cook Ennis." Jack said, sitting lazily at the couch.

"Glad you liked it." Ennis sat down near Jack and put his arm around him, sighing in contentment.

Jack was surprised by the small gesture but decided to say nothing, too afraid to scare Ennis away again. They stayed like that in silence for a few minutes, until Ennis made Jack rest against his chest.

"You must think I'm crazy." Ennis whispered in Jacks left ear. "It's just, I really missed you yesterday, and I was going to use any excuse to have you here today."

"I've missed you too." Jack answered, moving closer. "I've got something to tell you. I've been thinking about it since I arrived."

Ennis looked at Jack with curiosity but said nothing, waiting for the blue eyed man to proceed.

"My father is very suspicious about what happened in Madrid. It seems there are some confusing rumors about our "misunderstanding." People at the firm keep talking about why our partnership ended so abruptly." Jack moved his head so that they were talking face to face.

"He talked to me last night, when we went out together for dinner. I denied everything. It didn't feel right lying to him, but it wasn't fair that the only thing he would know about us was the worst moment of our relationship. I told him we had a stupid lovers' quarrel but he didn't seem too convinced. We know each other very well and I believe he's going to talk to you this week." Jack went silent for a minute caressing Ennis jaw.

"I know we had a bad start but we can make this work, Ennis. I know it's still very difficult and confusing for you. But I need you to get along with my dad. He's very important to me, my only true family. Just try not to lose your temper with him, he's very protective of me."

"I know I've hurt you. I'm really sorry for that and whatever your father tells me, I'll show him that. I'm not that hard to understand." Ennis held Jack's hand in his and squeezed a bit. It felt so natural.

"I didn't mean it that way."

"I know but you had every reason in the world to mean it."

"Thank you." Jack smiled and rested his head against Ennis's chest.

"You know something? We should go for a walk with Neve. The poor thing has been locked inside the apartment since I bought him. Plus, we need to digest all this food."

"I would rather stay here but you make a good point. Go get dressed and I'll put the dishes in the dish washer for you." Jack said slowly moving away from Ennis.

"You know how to do such a thing, Jack Twist? The plates are new, be careful." Ennis said, suppressing a laugh.

"Think you're soooo funny." Jack muttered, starting to pick things up from the table, but stopped abruptly at the image of Ennis's ass moving away to the bedroom. From the first day they met, Jack felt this dizzying attraction to Ennis. Something about the combination of curly blond hair and the V shape of Ennis body was just too much for his hormones, even though he was already 30 years old.

Now adding to all that there was the perverted thought that Ennis was turning gay because of him. He knew such a thought was stupid and even ridiculous but he couldn't help but to see that as a powerful aphrodisiac. He was always the prey, but in this relationship he could really be the predator. Ennis had taken the first step, but now he could control the game, just as he secretly liked the most. He liked to think that he was depraving Ennis, in ways the blond lawyer had never dreamt before.

Jack liked to brag about his self control, how no one could make him lose his temper. He always managed to be in control of everything around him. Even when others thought they were controlling him, like his father, it was a consented control. At least, until he had met Ennis. The blond man awoke the most extreme feelings in him and Jack didn't want to lose that. He was controlling at the same time he was losing control. It was almost as ironic as it was erotic.

God, the human mind was even more complex in his perverted fantasies, Jack thought.

"Are you trying to read the future in those?" Ennis asked amused at the way Jack was staring at the inside of the last remaining dirty cup.

"I was just thinking." Jack answered looking at Ennis. He realized immediately that Ennis was wearing the blue polo Elizabeth had talked about a few days before.

"I see." Ennis answered, putting the leash on Neve.

"Someone told me you keep wearing that blue polo all the time." Jack said rising a brow.

"I like it and it's very comfortable. Who the hell keeps looking at my clothes to tell you?" Ennis said looking at Neve.

"Is that so? And you already know the answer to that."

"Grhmmm." Was all Ennis said to the smile in Jack's face. "You know why."

"Yeah, I know, but it wouldn't hurt if you told me one of these days." Jack said, dropping the issue for now.

"You really are a spoiled brat, you know that?"

"It's one of my many charms."

Ennis looked at him, rolled his eyes and opened the door, followed by the small Neve.

* * *

As usual, Jack was 20 minutes early on Monday morning. The afternoon with Ennis had been a blessing. Jack had missed spending some time with Ennis, just talking and discussing matters of little importance. He sighed at the memory. It was clear that they both cherished their friendship.

"Good morning, Mrs. Campbell." Jack said to the newest secretary of the firm. She was Ennis's new secretary, the one Elizabeth initially hired to work with both of them. She seemed to be a nice woman and Jack predicted that he would probably see her a thousand times in the future.

Jack enjoyed the small amount of time that he and Ennis worked together, but now their new relationship needed time and space to grow. Maybe in a few months they could be back working together. He hoped that could be a possibility. He harbored a secret fantasy that one day in the future, he and Ennis would settle down in a luxurious flat near the firm and work together all the time. They would commute together every day and sleep together every night, until one day he would find the strength to ask Ennis to marry him. And the fantasy would always end there because Jack had never allowed it to go any further. Even dreams and fantasies had limits.

"Good morning, Mr. Twist." She answered, without looking up from the papers she was reading. Jack observed her closely. The woman was probably in her forties, with a few wrinkles and obviously bleached hair, and she looked very conservative. Elizabeth had searched all over the city for the best secretary to work with "_her kids._" Mrs. Campbell was very competent, discreet and a hard worker. She wasn't one to smile at everyone but Jack liked her just the same.

"Do you know if Mr. Del Mar has arrived yet?" Jack refrain from asking.

"No, Mr. Twist."

"Thank you."

"Have a good day, Mr. Twist."

Jack moved in the direction of his own office. He was working alone this week as Elizabeth was in Belgium finishing their last case and Jack had the whole week to study the next case. It was another celebrity divorce. He'd lost count at how many of these he had worked on. He wondered why they kept marrying in the first place.

* * *

Ennis arrived at work a few minutes late. He had another one of those dreams with Jack and the waking up had been difficult, so he ended up late. What a way to start the day though, he thought, a slow smile forming on his face.

"Good day, Mrs. Campbell. Do you have any messages for me?" Ennis asked grumpily, still feeling a little off because he was running late.

"Good day, Mr. Del Mar. Yes, I certainly have. First, the final documents related to the murder case in Florida have finally arrived. I've placed them on your desk. Second, the witness B of this case has confirmed the meeting. Third, Mr. Twist was here 15 minutes ago, asking for you."

"Mr. Twist, the boss?" Ennis asked, remembering the conversation with Jack yesterday.

"No. Mr. Twist, the son, of course." She answered calmly.

"Ok. I'll pass by his office later. Just please don't call him "Mr. Twist." That title's reserved for the big boss. Call him Mr. Jack Twist. And I need you to do me a favor. Could you call Mrs. Bingley? She's a private detective. Mary Bingley. You should find her phone number easily. I need you to tell her that I'll come by her office this afternoon to pick up some photos she had for Elizabeth Noris."

"Do you not prefer to let me do that for you, sir?"

"No, thank you. I need to do this personally." Ennis answered entering his own office.

This week was going to be a living hell for him. At least, that was what he predicted. The murder in Florida was a big case and without Elizabeth's help, he was all by himself. This could possibly make or break his career. Sure, he had much more experience now, but the need to prove himself was there. He needed to start showing profit for the firm soon. The Magnet Firm was well-known for having the best lawyers with the best profit margin. If you didn't make the cash, you didn't stay long.

Mentally he remembered the basics of this case. A few weeks ago, a young woman, 24 years old, was found murdered in a train full of passengers in Florida. But this was no ordinary train. No, it was the most luxurious train on earth. Rafaelo was the king of all trains and it was making an inaugural trip around all the old train lines in Florida. The train was packed with all the modern security systems, but all the records were useless since someone had erased its records. Experts who analyzed the body had been surprised with the meticulous work the murderer had done. No fingerprints, no hair, no marks but the blue marks of suffocation. Done, they said, by a rope around the neck. Very primitive for such an expert.

Ennis's client was the victim's boyfriend and the prime suspect. He's a famous American bachelor with "_playboy_" fame and too much money to stay out of trouble for long. There were very few clues (just a witness who put Ennis's client at the place between the possible time of death and a few other witnesses who saw the victim and Ennis's client arguing on the same day). There were 30 passengers and 20 staff members to interview, dozens of places to analyze and a defense case to work on.

Nevertheless, this was turning into the typical case of someone murdered by a lover. But Ennis knew the prosecution had a very weak case. The witness who put Ennis's client at the scene of the murder was an ex-girlfriend. Some old records of teenage alcoholism that the jury would never take into consideration at her testimonial. To complete his defense, there was one important witness whose cooperation was rather difficult to gain. The truth was that Ennis's client wasn't really on good terms with the victim. Their relationship was ending. On the night of the murder, Ennis's client was having sex with his lover. The most ironic fact of all, the lover was a man. A man too afraid to confess he was engaging in sex with his client, even if it meant saving his lover's ass.

He was going to meet with this man this week. Ennis was conscious of the importance of this witness. He could discredit the ex-girlfriend, but he needed the alibi. And so he was faced with the dilemma of convincing the witness to admit something that he himself was afraid to do not too long ago. And in all honesty, he still wasn't totally comfortable.

Such was the pure irony of life. Or as others like to call it, the _karma_. What goes up most come down and what goes around comes around. The other side of every coin. And so on…

Ennis jumped from his chair as someone knocked loudly. He abruptly looked at the door, just to see Mr. Twist coming in. The tall man entered and closed the door behind him in seconds without a single word. Surely it wasn't a good sign for what was about to come next.

"Mr. Del Mar, can I have a word?" The older man asked, standing in front of Ennis's desk. Ennis took a few seconds to look at the man in front of him. Truly it was like looking at Jack in 30 years. It was very disturbing, especially now that he and Jack had become so close.

"But of course, Mr. Twist." All Ennis could do was fake indifference.

"I told your secretary I needed a few photocopies with urgency so that we could talk without being interrupted or overheard." Enrique Twist said, not really waiting for a reaction from Ennis. "I believe you know why I'm here."

"I have an idea, Mr. Twist. My own suspicions if I dare say."

"I truly liked you, Del Mar. I picked your name from all the others because there was something different about you. I gave you the best attorney in the firm as your godmother. Put you working with my own son." He stopped, breathing in slowly. Ennis didn't risk interrupting him. "Jack doesn't want to tell me the truth but I know him better than that. The way you two ceased to work together, the way he acted during the Katsoranis' case, the rumors all over the firm, the fact that the two of you are now dating… I'm not stupid."

"Mr. Twist…" Ennis started but was interrupted.

"Del Mar, I don't want your excuses. Jack seems to have forgiven you for whatever you'd done before and that's not my business. But I'll tell you this." Mr. Twist leaned in his chair, moving closer to Ennis. "I've known guys like you. Too confused to commit, yet not too confused not to get in a relationship. I've seen Jack crying over all of them over the years and I couldn't do anything. But you? I can deal with you. So you mind your step, Del Mar." And with this, Enrique Twist bid his goodbyes and left without wasting another second or giving Ennis any time to formulate an answer.

Ennis stayed in the same position for a few minutes, wondering how far the boss's threatening would go.

* * *

_**Author: **__Major change in the whole case. It was very simpler, so I introduce some more details. Also this version of Enrique and Ennis confrontation has a few interesting new details…_

_**On the next chapter:**__ Ennis gets to know Mary Bingley, Elizabeth's old love and he get quite impressed. Ennis case it's approaching the end. And we finally get some slash! _


	10. The “B” Witness 2

_**Author's Note: **__Thank you so very much for my friend __Kathy (__**kittie8571**__) who is the Beta of this story!_

_Thank you everybody for the reviews! Specially to __**onefreetoroam, Kate Andromeda **__and **go for it Jack.  
**_

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**Chapter Ten: The "B" Witness (2)**

Ennis couldn't concentrate on the papers and pictures placed all over his desk. He needed a break. He needed to talk with Jack. He stood up from his large leather chair and moved to the door of his office.

Silently gesturing to his secretary, Ennis walked in the direction of Jack's office. When he arrived at the door, he knocked twice and stepped inside, closing the door behind him.

"Hi, Ennis. You don't look so good. What's happening?" Jack was typing fast on his computer, while chewing something.

Ennis looked at the table. There were a lot of different files strewn about. Some pink, others blue, some with photos, others with complicated numbers written on post-its. Next to the computer was a mug of what looked to be coffee and a piece of silver paper with light brown chocolate on it. Jack was working on a new case, of that Ennis was sure.

"I was just, uh, needing to see you." Ennis said, bending down to kiss Jack on the lips, in a very slow and sweet kiss like the ones Jack usually gave him when he was grateful and happy.

"Hhmm" Jack said when the kiss was over. "Don't try to fool me. My father talked to you?"

"Yes." Ennis answered but didn't elaborate, remembering how important Enrique Twist was to Jack. He couldn't pit Jack against his father. No, he would work this out alone, for Jack's sake. "It wasn't that bad really. But it made me feel even more grateful that you gave me a second chance." Ennis said, using his lawyer tone, which Jack didn't know that well.

"He just wants what's the best for me. Lets just keep this as secret as possible, especially at work. We're colleagues, we shouldn't have a relationship at all. The firm is quite liberal with these situations but my father may want to make an example out of us."

"It's ok, Jack." Ennis said trying to smile. Jack smiled back.

"Soon it will be acceptable since we won't be working together anymore for a long time. But until then, it's better not to flaunt it."

"I completely agree."

"Do you want to have dinner at my house today? I know it should be soccer at your house tonight but I'm not in the mood to leave my apartment." The blue eyed man rested his head on Ennis's forehead.

"Only if I don't have to eat your cooking." Ennis answered, smiling more.

"I don't want to kill you… just yet. Matilda can cook enough for both of us. She'd be delighted to do so."

"Sounds perfect to me. I'll ask Veronica to keep Neve for the night. I really need to ask Mrs. Campbell to find me someone to help with the house and Neve." They kissed again, both tongues fighing for domination this time.

"I have to go, my Mar." Ennis whispered against Jack's mouth.

"What did you just said?"

"Nothing. I've got to go. Bye." Ennis walked away, leaving Jack wetting his lips, thinking.

Jack knew what Ennis had just said. "My Mar," he'd heard. Mar was ocean in a few Latin languages, like Spanish. So Ennis saw him like his own ocean. Was it because of his blue eyes? Or was it because he had deep feelings that went as far as the eye can see?

He was dying of curiosity.

Ennis drove to the north part of the city, following the directions he found in Elizabeth's e-mail. He couldn't wait to meet Mary Bingley. The anticipation was making his stomach ache. Finally he saw the red brick building. Pulling into the first free spot he found, Ennis parked his car. He stepped out, admiring his surroundings. He saw nothing more than a street of brick buildings and a couple of kids playing on their skates. He would never have pictured a detective's office in this location. Quite, discreet, and almost unknown, it was the perfect place to work without being disturbed, but not the best place to attract clients.

Mrs. Bingley didn't care for advertisement either, Ennis thought, looking at the office door. He entered, finding a young black woman sitting behind a desk, reading a magazine and playing solataire on the computer. The woman, who looked to be in her twenties, looked at Ennis with curiosity. Ennis realized it must be because he was still wearing his expensive Hugo Boss suit, a present from Elizabeth for the anniversary of his first month of work at the Magnet firm.

"Do you have an appointment with Mrs. Bingley?" The woman finally said, still looking him up and down. She was chewing gum quite loudly, wearing a green top and disturbing make up.

"Yes. I'm Ennis Del Mar. My secretary called this morning. I'm here to pick up some important photos for Elizabeth Noris." At the mention of the name, her eyes went large, but only for a brief moment. Ennis wasn't surprised.

"Oh, yes, yes." She said, without taking her eyes off of him. She picked up the phone on her desk, dialed a few numbers and quickly told Mrs. Bingley that the "_Del Mar guy_" was there. Ennis felt like he wasn't even in the room, even though the younger woman couldn't stop staring at him.

"You can go ahead in. Mrs. Bingley is waiting for you." The young woman said looking him up and down again, then turned her back to him, reading her magazine once again.

"Thank you." Ennis said, moving to the other door.

He knocked lightly, twice as he usually did. When a soft "enter" was heard, he opened the door and stepped inside. The office had an odd wallpaper of a yellow color. Around him, up on the wall, were pictures and photos of what seemed to be mix between New York landscaping and New York tourist's attractions. The desk was black and huge, covered with three different laptops. Behind the table and grey office chair was an enormous window spanning the entire wall, almost to the floor. Near the right corner was a picture facing Mrs. Bingley. Ennis couldn't see who it was from his point of view.

His eyes moved quickly to the woman sitting behind the desk. Ennis was nicely surprised. Mrs. Bingley was a very beautiful woman, there was no denying it. Not the kind of beauty you saw in the movies, like the one Ennis saw daily in Jack or Elizabeth, no, Mrs. Bingley was naturally beautiful. Her long black hair fell on her shoulders, her bangs trying to hide her deep green eyes. Her lips were not very big but they were very delicate. The whole face gave her a distinct look, a mix of gypsy and Italian. She was probably the same age as Elizabeth. Ennis looked at her clothes -- jeans and a black jumper. Practical clothes, which revealed no style or fashion tendency from the woman. Her long legs made Ennis think she might be as tall as Jack. Ennis forced himself not to smile as the thought hit him. This was the reason why Elizabeth kept wearing those extremely high heeled shoes. She liked tall women.

"Mr. Del Mar I presume?" She said offering him her hand to shake.

"Yes, ma'am. "

"Eliza told me you were her godson. You're a very lucky guy." Ennis observed that her voice was very determined and secure. He also noticed that no one he knew used "Eliza" as a nickname for Elizabeth Noris.

"I'm aware of that, and very grateful." He was choosing carefully his words.

"Eliza is a very special woman. She changes things around her without noticing." Mrs. Bingley glanced away.

"I'm learning that with time, Mrs. Bingley."

"Here it is -- the package Eliza asked me for. I told her by phone everything there is to know about those photos. She just needed them as evidence and it took a little work to have them made." The green eyed woman said giving him a package.

"Thank you. Is that all?"

"I believe so." She stood up from her chair and shook hands with Ennis again.

Ennis left the office and the building, arriving at his car a few minutes later. He sat, thinking about what he had just found out. Elizabeth's ex-girlfriend had been a strange surprise. The woman, obviously beautiful, was determined, focused, discreet and somehow an odd combination of masculinity and femininity. Women like this didn't normally catch his attention, but they were surely worthy of every man's respect.

No one could say that Elizabeth Noris didn't have a fine taste.

Jack was happily reading his National Geographic magazine while he waited for Ennis to arrive for dinner. He had secretly made up his mind. Tonight Ennis Del Mar was going to end up in his bed. This dating idea was good, but there is a limit to every man restraint and Jack was reaching his.

He could have resisted the "insecure" Ennis for a few more weeks, but there was no way he was going to resist the "I want to be your boyfriend" Ennis for another day. It had been difficult enough on Sunday with all the cuddling on the sofa. Jack intended to take another step and have as much fun as possible, shocking Ennis along the way. It was always pleasurable for him to corrupt the blond lawyer.

The bell rang and Jack forced his smile to disappear. He moved to the door, opening it to face a smiling Ennis. He pulled Ennis into his apartment and kissed him on the lips, quickly running his tongue along Ennis's upper teeth and then forced himself to stop. He had a plan and now was not the time to forget it.

"Nice to see you too." Ennis said still tasting the sweet flavor of Jack's tongue. He wasn't one to know how his lovers tasted like, but Jack Twist tasted good. And it was definitely becoming addictive.

"I was getting tired, waiting for you. Tired and hungry, so let's see what Matilda left us." Jack said, helping Ennis take off his coat.

They sat at the table, eating the fabulous food Matilda had prepared. Ennis thought Jack was acting strange, giving him flirty glances and smiling sexily. Ennis wondered if he was seeing things. They were talking about the end of the season but it looked as though Jack was thinking of something completely different. Or perhaps Ennis was the one thinking about something else. He wasn't completely sure.

"Jack, is everything all right?" Ennis asked when they finished eating.

"Yeah. Everything's just fine." Jack said. But Ennis saw the ghost of that disturbing smile again when Jack took the dishes to the kitchen.

Ennis was going to stand up when Jack stood behind him and put his hands on both Ennis's shoulders. He was smiling seductively, closing the distance of their heads.

"Stay there, you forgot dessert." Jack whispered in his ear.

When their lips came together, Ennis was already breathing heavily. He didn't know what was going on in Jack's mind, but he wasn't physically able to stop him now. He was more than eager for some snogging.

Jack straddled Ennis's lap, the chair supporting both their weight together. Ennis was getting hard just from the friction of their groins together. That and the marvelous kiss they were sharing.

"Jack… what about the dates?" Ennis murmured between kisses, his self control almost gone.

"We're getting to the next level of dates." Jack said moving his mouth to Ennis's neck, sucking and biting every piece of skin he could find.

"Jack…" Ennis grabbed Jack's head and looked into his eyes. "This time I'm sure I really want this. If we go ahead, it's not a one time thing. It will be the first of many."

"What do you think I am? Your virgin high school girlfriend?" He looked amused at Ennis reaction. "Ennis, don't forget, you're dating a _man_ now." Jack said, whispering the last part in his right ear and thrusting his erection against Ennis. The blond man was surprised that the chair didn't fall over but it seemed that Jack had everything under control. He closed his eyes, feeling Jack's administrations on his neck. God, the man was possessed, he thought. It was then that he realized that the chair that he had been sitting on all night was different from the others. This one was made of metal and not wood so it was far more heavy and resilient.

"Jack, you little devil. You planned this." Ennis whispered, moving his hands from Jack's back to his ass, pushing him closer to him, making them both gasp. Jack didn't answer but moved his right hand under Ennis's shirt and started caressing his nipple. They started kissing again, until Ennis decided they were wearing too many clothes. He moved his hands from Jack's ass and pulled up his shirt, breaking the kiss to toss it aside. Jack used that moment to lean against the table as Ennis stripped off his own shirt. Ennis looked at him, lust in his eyes, feeling the sweet sensation of anticipated sexual release. It seemed far too long since the last time they had sex.

"Jack, you have no idea what you're doing to me." In a moment, Ennis shoved Jack on top of the table, his right hand inching up Jack's leg and the left one pulling his lover closer to him by the waist. Ennis kissed him hard and rough, showing him the desire and want he had hidden away for more than a month.

Jack decided it was time to get rid of the rest of their clothes. He moved his hands to the buttons of Ennis's jeans and tried desperately to open them, but the task was getting difficult as Ennis seemed to have remembered the sensitive spot under his right nipple. Finally he succeeded, and unzipping as fast as he could, the jeans fell on the floor. Ennis quickly toed off his shoes and stepped out of his jeans without even looking down. Jack was about to take Ennis's boxers off too but Ennis's right hand stopped him. As quickly as humanly possible, Ennis took off Jack's shoes, socks and trousers. Jack felt Ennis's right hand caressing and teasing his hard cock, still trapped in his boxers.

"You've promised me dessert Jack, so I'm going to make you stand by your word." Ennis said, stripping Jack of his boxers.

Jack shivered in anticipation. Was Ennis going to give him a blow job? Since Ennis had never had another man in his life, this surely was going to be the first time he would ever perform oral sex on a man. The idea itself was driving Jack crazy. His dirty little fantasy was hitting him hard.

"Ennis? Are you sure? We can do something else. There's no need to pretend with me." Jack said, not really wanting to miss the experience but remembering a few bad ones he'd had as a teenager.

"I told you, I'm going to make you stand by your word." He said smiling and kissed Jack on the mouth slightly, then kissed his way down to Jack's cock. He had thought this would be difficult. This part of their sexual life had scared him, not because he didn't like it, but because he was afraid that his non existent skills would disappoint Jack. So he secretly had bought a book. It had been one hell of an adventure finding one but if Jack got the pleasure he wanted to give him tonight then it would have all been worth it.

Ennis kissed the tip on Jacks cock, licking the pre-come. Jack Twist tasted wonderful, Ennis thought, and he wasn't surprised. He started to suck and softly bite just as he had read and Jack was now moaning in a very wild and sexy way. Ennis noticed his cock was painfully hard, but this moment was for Jack and Jack alone. As he increased the speed of his administrations, he remembered to massage Jack's balls with his right hand. Jack made some weird animalistic noise that he understood as a warning for his impending orgasm. As was expected, a few seconds later, Jack came hard in his mouth. He tried to swallow it all but a large amount ended up on the floor. Ennis sat down on a chair feeling like he had run a marathon.

"God . . . that was… unexpected." Jack said when his breathing had returned to normal. He looked at Ennis, still sitting on the chair and waved him to come closer. He was now positioned at the edge of the table, Ennis bent down and kissed him, giving him a taste of his own release. The kiss quickly turned into a savage battle of tongues. Jack felt the need of release of his blond lover and he too was getting hard again.

"Ennis I want you…" He whispered against his mouth, trying to vocalize his needs and wants.

"Where do you have the lube?" Ennis asked, already anticipating the pleasure he would be feeling in a few minutes.

"In the drawer of the table." Jack answered, unhappy about the loss of contact.

"Got it." Ennis answered briefly before kissing Jack passionately again.

Ennis's hands cupped Jack's ass and squeezed it, just enough to make Jack moan and then his right hand moved between the cheeks to tease the hole. Jack was completely hard again by now but still sitting on the table.

"Jack, lay back again, baby." Ennis said and Jack promptly did, surprised by the nickname Ennis had used and the softness of his voice.

Ennis used his right hand to prepare Jack. One finger, then two and by the third, Jack was more than ready.

"Ennis please…" Jack begged, not able to talk anymore when Ennis's fingers hit his prostate. When the fingers were gone, Jack whimpered but then said.

"Sit in the chair… I want you in the chair."

Ennis was surprised by the demanding tone of Jack's voice. He wasn't used to being ordered around by a man. But in this situation, Ennis found it to be extremely arousing. So he stripped off his boxers and sat on the chair waiting for Jack.

Jack picked the lube and applied some on Ennis's rigid member, stealing a moan from the blond man. He also moved Ennis hips, so that he was in the right position. He then put each leg on either side of the chair, positioning his entrance at the top of Ennis's cock. Ennis was surprised by the chosen position; it meant Jack wanted to control the situation, but Ennis understood. His thoughts were completely forgotten as Jack started to take him in. A moan escaped from both men. When it was all in, Jack waited, readjusting himself to the length. Ennis was grateful because for a minute, he feared for his control and he surely didn't want to ruin it all by coming too soon.

Jack started to thrust, pulling himself up and down, using his hands to grab the back of the chair to help him do it. Ennis started to thrust back, knowing he was going to have sore back the next morning. The sensations from their love making were so different from that night in Madrid that Ennis felt like it was the first time between them. It was all so natural, so perfect and so different.

Feeling his orgasm nearing, Ennis began to stroke Jack's cock with his right hand, wondering for a moment if the chair would collapse with all the movements. A few quick strokes and Jack was coming against his chest and belly. The vocal expression of Jack's satisfaction and Jack's hole clenching was all it took for Ennis to come, too.

"Ennis, this was…" Jack said, embracing him and resting his head on Ennis's shoulder. He was still breathing hard.

"Yeah. I've never…"

They stayed still for a few minutes recovering from the extreme experience.

"Stay." Jack asked fixing Ennis hair, which was sticky from sweat.

"I can't go to work tomorrow dressed like this." He said kissing Jack on the cheek, something he rarely did.

"You can always wake up earlier and go get dressed in your apartment."

"Can I get up from this chair then?"

There was no need for more words, as their bodies spoke volumes. Later that night when they were both lying in bed, Ennis felt the need to say what was running through his mind.

"You understand this means I'm definitely gay, don't you?"

And Jack laughed hysterically until tears were falling from his eyes. Ennis wanted to feel angry for being seen as a joke but the beautiful sound of Jack laughing gave him other ideas.

The week went as usual for Ennis, with the exception that now on Mondays and Wednesdays the nights weren't just watching soccer with Jack anymore. They were watching soccer with Jack and fucking Jack senseless after. Ennis also got a maid to help him with his apartment, a cousin of Mrs. Campbell, called Lucia May. An adorable woman, who immediately started to call Ennis "my boy." Veronica and Ennis also shared a few brief talks in the hallway and Ennis excused himself for not finding the time for more night talks but promised to find some time next week.

At work, Ennis kept an eye on Enrique Twist, wanting to see how far the protective father would go. But Jack's father seemed to have disappeared from the firm. Ennis wondered whether or not this was a good sign. Who wasn't too happy to see him was Frederic Dawson. The man glared at him all week, obviously jealous. Ennis decided to ignore him, after all, he was too happy to get into fights. And as far as he saw it, Frederic was just a spoiled rich boy who didn't get what he wanted. The situation was already a lesson for him.

Right now, Ennis was taking the subway to finally met Robert Taylor, the "B" witness. This man was a crucial part for the defense he had created. He needed to convince him to testify in court for his client. Even if that meant convincing him to admit publicly his homosexuality.

The meeting was in a café in the heart of the city, a place with good coffee and fresh donuts. Robert Taylor had chosen the place and indicated to him the table where he would be sitting, waiting for him. It was a very public place, noisy from the sound of traffic and loud conversation. Ennis had accepted the location for lack of a better option. But then maybe the situation wasn't that bad for someone who didn't want to be recognized.

Ennis walked up the stairs, leaving the subway station. The café was really close and he could see Robert Taylor in the distance. Sitting at the third table on the left was a young man in his early twenties, with black hair and brown eyes. The man was obviously British, with his perfect hair cut, his striped sweater and his long coat, there was absolutely no doubt. Arriving at the table Ennis offered his hand for a formal hand shake.

"Ennis Del Mar. We spoke on the phone."

"Robert Taylor. Thank you for coming."

"I'm the one who should be grateful, Mr. Taylor." Ennis sat down, observing the man in front of him. He had read about him in the last few days, talked with his client about him and even saw a few pictures of him. Still he was surprised by how distinct and old-fashioned he looked.

"Tea, Mr. Del Mar?"

"No, thank you."

"Did you know that it was a Portuguese princess who brought the tea to England? Some odd fact that the story seems to have forgotten." He said without taking his eyes from the tea. Ennis was confused by the strange choice of topic, but understood it as a sign of British anxiety.

"Mr. Taylor, I'm not here for small talk, as interesting as it may sound." Ennis paused, facing the younger man. "I'm here because what you may say in court can actually save my client's future."

"George Willis doesn't care about anybody but himself. Why should I care about him?" The Brit said with anger.

"He obviously must care for you deeply if he was going to leave his girlfriend for you."

"God knows how long he'd been promising me that. But our fathers would never have approved. We would lose all our family money and George always loved his rich bachelor life too much."

"Everyone needs a second chance. Being in love is not easy, maybe this was what you both needed to come forward with the truth." Ennis was feeling slightly uncomfortable with the direction of the conversation.

"Mr. Del Mar, are you gay?"

Ennis felt shocked and his facial expression gave away the answer to Robert but Ennis found the strength to say.

"Yes I am. I bet you weren't expecting that."

"No, I wasn't. But please, do tell me, do you have a boyfriend?"

"Yes." Ennis was surprised with his own answer.

"Can you imagine what it would be like for you if you knew that he was, right at this moment, having sex with a woman?"

"I can't possibly picture Jack with a woman." The words were out of his mouth before he could think of a more appropriate answer.

"Lucky for you, because that was the truth in my life. Betrayed for a woman! As a gay man, you should understand that there's nothing worse. He wasn't even bisexual!"

"Mr. Taylor, I can understand your anger but you can't make me believe that you don't care if Mr. Willis is thrown in jail for a crime he didn't commit."

The dark haired man looked at his tea again, a profound sad expression on his face.

"I loved him. He's a bastard but I can't stop loving him." He started to cry, and people all around the café looked at them. Ennis didn't really know how to react.

"Mr. Taylor, you have to be strong. If for nothing else you have to do it for the sake of the truth. You are a man of honor, who surely knows his duties."

This made the English man stop crying and he looked at Ennis in a most dignified way. Ennis knew he had chosen the right words.

"Yes, you're absolutely right. I'll do it, even if it means losing the respect of my beloved father. Nothing is more important than the truth to a man with real character."

"I always knew you would make the right decision, Mr. Taylor."

Ennis then proceeded to explain to Robert how the examination in court would go. But he couldn't help but feel more and more connected to this odd case.

_**Author: **__Oh! My first slash scene! I was so afraid everybody would stop reading after it… But everybody liked it! Maybe that was why I didn't change it much. Although, I did change the scene with Mary Bingley. _

_**On the next chapter:**__ Ennis and Jack get closer! But they're not the only ones. Ennis finally found out everything about Mary and Elizabeth. And what is it with Jack and Ennis's new case? _


	11. Boyfriends?

_**Author's Note: **__Thank you so very much for my friend _Kathy (**kittie8571**_) who is the Beta of this story! _

_Thank you everybody for the reviews! Especially to __**onefreetoroam, Kate Andromeda, **_**haljbg**and**Jada91.  
**

* * *

**Chapter Eleven: Boyfriends? **

Ennis was happily leaving court. He had successfully proven that George Willis was not a murderer. The D.A.'s office was now opening a new investigation. But all this was nothing compared to the shock of the jury when two of the richest bachelors in the US admitted to be secretly romantically involved. He was sure that elderly woman in the first row would faint but the five minute break from the judge seemed to have helped her.

The press went nuts and in seconds the whole murder was totally forgotten. What people wanted to read about was the two hot American princes being gay. Ennis enjoyed a good scandal as much as the next guy, but he thought people sometimes forgot that there are limits. Ennis, of course, was forced to give a few interviews himself, which he truly hated, but after all, the defense had been a complete success.

George Willis had been so grateful for the results of Ennis's work that he had invited him out to dinner with him and his now public boyfriend, Robert Taylor. The gay couple had been nice company and after a few hours of conversation with topics ranging from their futures to the result of their coming out to the world, they'd left, promising to keep him in mind in the event that either of them needed a lawyer again.

Ennis had enjoyed himself that evening, even though some of the topics made him slightly uncomfortable since he wasn't quite ready to hear about the _gay community_. The young couple seemed to notice that and the conversation shifted to other, more pleasant topics. But all in all, it had been a good night and had left him thinking that he truly needed to get more friends in New York City.

Ennis took another long look at the massive building, hopped into his car and drove to the firm. Elizabeth would be back to work today and they'd all decided to celebrate Ennis's first successful case. He was excited about this party; Elizabeth, Jack and Ennis having dinner together in some very expensive restaurant. Good company, good wine, and good food. He was a simple man, more than happy to take pleasure in the simplest things.

Ennis arrived at the firm, waving at the security man who guarded their cars. He was a skinny man who looked like a cadet from the Police Academy movies. Maybe it was because of the blue uniform. Ennis had a random thought that Enrique should change the security division's uniforms.

He took the elevator and sighed at the sight of his hair in the mirror. He hated the way the curls got wild when they were longer. And that was what he saw in his own reflection. He looked like an Italian statue, sculpted by the classic artists. Since he had moved to New York, his skin was paler and the stress had made him lose some weight.

Many years ago, his work partner from the university – a shy and intelligent girl, who had the worst teeth he had ever seen - used to tell him that he was the living description of Dorian Gray, the famous character from Oscar Wilde, with the exception of the brown eyes. Ennis had been surprised with the comment since he had no idea who such a character was. He'd never been one to read romances. His style was more in the lines of Agatha Christie and an occasional thriller. But since the girl had insisted so much and she had, in all honestly, piqued his curiosity, he decided to read the book. He'd had the shock of his life. Dorian Gray was a promiscuous guy, who acted like a woman. Or so he had thought after less than 20 pages. Ennis had thrown the book back in his partner's bag and was furious with her for an entire week, feeling seriously insulted. She never mentioned it again.

Ennis couldn't help but smile at the memory.

"Ah, to be young and stupid. What a blessing." He murmured to the empty elevator.

He arrived at his floor and smiled at Mrs. Campbell. She was a serious woman, who seemed not to like people in general, but at Ennis, she smiled back. There's no rule without an exception – they say – and Ennis had been the exception in this case. And he knew that the cordial way she treated Jack was only because of him. She saw him as her direct boss and was totally loyal to his decisions. Very uncommon nowadays, but Ennis liked it. He dealt better with the old ways of the world.

"Mrs. Campbell, I'm back." He said, rather dizzy with happiness.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Del Mar. May I congratulate you on your success? It's all over the news. I'll send you the general comments and opinions by the end of the day."

"Thank you. Anything else I should know?"

"Oh, yes. Mr. Jack Twist and Mrs. Noris are waiting for you in your office." Ennis looked confusedly at Mrs. Campbell and the older woman understood.

"I thought so too. It seems there is some sort of important situation that the three of you need to discuss. That's all I know."

"Thank you, Mrs. Campbell."

Ennis opened the door and found Jack and Elizabeth talking. Jack didn't look too happy and Elizabeth had a guilty look on her face. By their body language, it was perfectly clear that they had been fighting.

"Hi, everybody." Ennis said, placing his briefcase on the floor.

"You knew and you didn't tell me." Jack directed this statement at Ennis, not really angry, just slightly annoyed.

"I just told him about Mary Bingley working with me again." The small woman told Ennis when she realized he had no idea what they were talking about.

"Baby, you know that Elizabeth had asked me to keep it a secret. And I told her she needed to tell you." Ennis said placing a hand on Jack's arm and using the gentle pet name he rarely used in front of anybody else to calm him.

"I know, I'm not really _mad_. It's just… I'm not used to Elizabeth having secrets from me. We tell each other _everything_ except the details of our sex lives! This is something major. I should have known since the beginning."

"Kid, you never liked her. She's back and I don't really know how things are between us. I needed the space. We've only gotten together a few times and only as friends. Nothing _major_ is happening. I only told Ennis because I needed someone to pick the photos for me and you know her -- she doesn't like to have strange people messing around her office. Plus, she would have been furious if I sent you."

"We didn't get along that badly. Professionally, we respect each other very much. But we're just too different to take each other seriously sometimes! And I do understand, Beth, but it took me by surprise."

"Just this once, can I have my space to deal with this?"

"Of course. Although I don't see what could have convinced her to return."

"That is one of the questions I want to find answers for by myself!"

"Guys, take a deep breath and move on with this." Ennis pointed at them.

"Ok, Elizabeth. Now go and leave me alone with my _champion_ boyfriend. We'll see you tonight at dinner."

"Ok, just tell Ennis what you feel he needs to know… about this. I don't want him to think we're crazy. By the way, congratulations, Ennis, nice work."

"Thank you." Ennis replied, but still looked confused and was curious about the exchange between Jack and Elizabeth. When the small woman left his office, he looked at Jack and smiled.

"Boyfriend huh? Is that what you keep saying to everybody?" Ennis said, teasing Jack, moving closer to the man, wrapping an arm around his waist.

"Aren't we?" Jack answered leaning closer.

"Actually, I recently told someone you were my boyfriend too. It just slipped out…"

"Really? And who was that?" Jack's hands moved to Ennis's neck and he glanced at the door checking if Elizabeth had locked it.

"Robert Taylor, the major witness in my case."

"The rich British guy? Who turned out to be gay?"

"It just came out of my mouth. But you know we shouldn't lie to people like that. It's wrong." Ennis said smiling.

"Good boy that you are, I'm sure that you have a plan to make it all right."

"Yeah." Ennis hugged Jack closer and looking at the intense blue eyes, he asked, "Jack, baby, do you want to be my boyfriend?"

"Yes honey I do." They kissed softly and slowly, as if it was the first time. Ennis smiled, in the way he only did around Jack and moved to take something out of his briefcase. It was a box, too large to be jewelry, which he placed on the palm on Jack's right hand with a small smile.

"How did you…" Jack said looking amazed at the box.

"I've been thinking about this since… Since that night on our first date. We were so good together and it had been so much so fast…" He looked at the floor, feeling stupidly shy again. "Just open it. I'm dying to know if you like it."

Jack opened it, feeling extremely nervous. Ennis seemed to have a thing for surprises. When he least expected it, Ennis would come out with something amazing. He wondered how far he had gone this time.

He looked at the inside of the box and his heart stopped. Lying there was a magnificent watch, all in silver, with black hands. Jack was astonished by its beauty. He owned many watches, but this one was something else. Ennis must have spent a fortune on it. He was so focused on the watch that he was surprised to see Ennis's hand coming and turning it over so that he could see the inscription.

_**TO JACK**_

_**MY ONE AND ONLY**_

_**ENNIS**_

There was a small orchid on the bottom. Or at least it looked like one. Jack was speechless and tears started falling from his eyes. All of the feelings he had in these last few months, all the fight to win Ennis, all the surprise he felt when they first met, all of that converged in a moment, in a small object. It was all too much for him emotionally. Then all he could feel was Ennis's arms around him, keeping him from falling and Ennis's fingers brushing away the tears and caressing his face.

"I… I love you, Ennis." Jack said, crying in Ennis's chest and he truly didn't know if he was crying tears of relief or tears of happiness, for those were the two feelings filling his heart. He wasn't fully aware that he had finally confessed his ardent love to Ennis.

"Love you too Jack. More than anyone else in the world and more than anybody before."

Jack smiled, happy to be in the arms of the man he loved most in the world, the man who was trying so hard to change for him. The man who, most of all, loved him back. And the thought of it made him smile.

"I never saw you as the romantic type Ennis."

"Does that mean you like it?" Both Ennis and Jack laughed. Ennis picked up the watch from the box and placed it around Jack's wrist, where it belonged. Ennis stayed like that for a few minutes, observing Jack wearing his "boyfriend's" gift. It had never occurred to him that someone could give a watch as a symbol of love and affection, but then he could understand the pressure that Ennis would have felt to pick it and how much worse it would have been if it had been a ring.

"Oh, Ennis, I almost forgot. I need to tell you something. It's rather important. Can you focus on this matter?" Jack asked. still resting his head on Ennis's chest.

"Of course, go ahead." Ennis said blinking twice and remembering the talk with the Elizabeth a few minutes before. This had to be about Mary Bingley.

"Ennis, there is a reason why Elizabeth didn't want to tell me about Mary's return. Actually there are many…" Jack paused, leaning against the table and caressing the new watch. "I don't know how much you know about her, but I'll tell you what I think you need to know."

Ennis sat in a chair next to Jack and waited for him to proceed.

"After Jessica died in that tragic car accident, Elizabeth was a different woman. She was never very comfortable with her orientation. I guess being homosexual was something she didn't expect and a part of her she'd never accepted. Elizabeth is not like you and me. She comes from a very old family. There were things that were expected from her…" Jack trailed off, not sure how much he should say.

"So when Jessica died, she thought she'd closed that chapter of her life for good. She was going to live alone and as a heterosexual female for the rest of her life. The problem was, she was too beautiful, too young and too intelligent to never fall in love again."

"Of course, many women tried their best to seduce her. She was even known as the _ice queen_. I was in the university back then, but Elizabeth and I were already friends. I don't think she ever saw me as "younger" because as soon as she wasn't my teacher anymore, we became very close. She would tell me about her life and I would unload my problems on her. One day the private detective with whom she used to work was found murdered by some unhappy criminal's wife. I really don't remember the details." Jack said proceeding with the story.

"Anyway, Elizabeth needed a new one and that's when she met Mary Bingley. It was love at first sight. Elizabeth was so physically attracted to her that I feared for her and I was right! We had lunch together and the two of them barely noticed my presence. Mary and Elizabeth were like polar opposites. Fights would go on for hours and flirting that would last even longer."

"Elizabeth and I always kept our personal lives from each other. I guess they were too different to share and also because Elizabeth never seemed comfortable enough. But one day, she confessed to me that Mary wasn't really happy. With all the difficulty of accepting her feelings, Elizabeth was giving Mary a bit of a hard time. She'd never felt that kind of attraction before, not even with Jessica, so that made everything worse for her. She kept feeling that it was wrong." Jack waved his hand. "You know what people say. So good that it can do you no good."

"She once told me that she had problems like that with Jessica. She wasn't expecting it to happen with Mary too." Ennis said, remembering the conversation he shared with Elizabeth when Jack returned from the Katsoranis case.

"But that wasn't the worst part. Mary wanted something else and _that_ was the main reason they broke up." Jack paused knowing this part might surprise Ennis. "She wanted a family. The woman who was famous for sending criminals to prison wanted children." Jack smiled. "When Elizabeth told her she would never do it, Mary decided to get away and took an important job as a detective in Canada. Their relationship was over. Or so I thought."

"I wasn't expecting that. So that's why she didn't want to tell you. She just doesn't like to talk about it." Ennis said sadly.

"Yes and it makes me wonder if Mary has a child now. After all, it was almost four years ago and she wanted it so much. She's the kind of woman you think could have anything she wants." Jack looked at Ennis's surprised face. "I see that Elizabeth hasn't told you much about it."

"You're right, just a very short recap and nothing about babies. But then she doesn't know me that well. I'm sure she wouldn't feel comfortable telling me all this. My question is why did Mary return?" Ennis asked, puzzled.

"Something tells me we'll find out sooner or later. New York City can be a very small place sometimes."

* * *

Dinner went marvelously. Ennis and Jack managed to avoid Mary Bingley as a topic of conversation, as hard as it proved to be. Ennis was dying to know more about the story, but he managed to control himself and so did Jack.

Elizabeth commented on the watch, what made Jack smile and Ennis blush. He still felt odd when other people noticed him and Jack exchanging glances or when Jack leaned closer to him while they were walking Neve. These were small gestures of affection and he'd always thought that those were what truly matter in life, mostly because they are unscripted. But _thank God_ they lived in New York, because it seemed like there were homosexual couples all over the city, or maybe he was just noticing them more now. At any rate, he and Jack didn't call much attention.

He was dealing with this line of thought when he and Jack moved out of the elevator and arrived at his door. As usual on Monday nights, they would hang out together at Ennis's apartment. Usually Jack slept there but because it was all very new in their relationship, he was never really sure of anything. Sometimes he was struck by the immense fear that Jack would one day simply change his mind and leave him. Then he would be alone with all these new feelings he didn't know how to react to, unable to move on.

He opened the door and little Neve came out from behind the couch and started meowing around them. Jack immediately picked him from the floor and started caressing his fur. Ennis noticed that his boyfriend never seemed to get enough of his pet. He even bought Neve a few toys that he would pick up in the shops and then demand that Ennis tell him, in great detail, everything the cat had done with it in his absence.

"Did you miss me? Has Ennis been treating you right? Don't worry baby, Jack's here now." Jack said, nuzzling the cat against him, who was by now extremely fond of Jack. If the presents hadn't been enough, there was also the fact that Jack was easily won over by animals and usually fell for all the cat's charms.

"Why wouldn't I treat him right? I just don't _spoil_ the cat like _you_ do. He's small and needs discipline. Lucia agrees with me and we're making some progress in the training if you want to know."

"Of course she agrees with you, she has almost adopted you in less than a week. She thinks you're the son she never had. Actually, it's kind of cute and reminds me of Matilda. And stop being jealous about the cat, it's ridiculous." Jack said, sitting on the couch and cuddling the cat like a baby.

"Hmmm." Was all that Ennis respond, not really wanting to start a fight about the cat. It had been a wonderful day and if Jack wanted to be all touchy about the cat, he wasn't going to stop him. Let him have his way this once. He was quite aware of how stubborn his boyfriend was but he had yet to lose his temper about it.

He moved to the closet, deciding to put their jackets in a safe place. He looked around. The place was definitely cleaner. In the past, he'd never minded doing the cleaning in the apartment but lately he just didn't have the time. Lucia May was a good woman, grateful for the job, and she wanted to repay Ennis. He was growing quite fond of her. His only fear was her growing curiosity about cooking dinner for two on Mondays and not cooking dinner on Wednesdays. Ennis knew that sooner or later she would find out, but he didn't want it to be sooner. So he drew a clear line, without really saying it, about what she could and could not interfere with in his life. Ennis liked to be in control of his life and women often scared him because they seemed to threaten that.

He closed the closet and looked around. Jack had taken off his tie and was now using it to play with Neve. The white cat was jumping, desperately trying to grab it but Jack always moved too fast. Ennis looked and shook his head. Jack Twist was going to be the death of him. How someone could be so mature and yet so childish at the same time he would never know. Part of him was so professional, so mature and intelligent. But then he also had happiness about life, a passion about helping and he was so stubborn and spoiled. It was an odd combination that Ennis had never thought would eventually do the trick for him.

He leaned against the wall, crossed his arms in front of his chest, and watched the interaction closely. Neve, as with any young cat, had energy to run and jump for hours and hours, but he also was very smart and every stupid game would eventually lose his interest quite quickly. And that was exactly what happened. When the cat got tired of all the chasing, he jumped off the couch in one leap and disappeared into the kitchen. Jack then realized Ennis was back and quickly stood up, grabbing Ennis's tie suggestively.

"Tired of playing with the cat already? You want to play with me now?" Ennis said smiling.

"The question is…" Jack was interrupted by the sound of his mobile phone ringing and Ennis didn't try to hide his frustration. Jack laughed but still looked at the screen and quickly picked up the call.

"Hi, Elizabeth."

Ennis sat on the couch listening. It was odd for Elizabeth to call such a short time after leaving them. Maybe it was some sort of problem at the firm. Ennis sighed. He wasn't in the mood to spend the night working. He wanted to go to bed and sleep spooned with Jack.

"No you didn't. A few more minutes and you probably would have." Jack looked at him with a lascivious look smiling. Ennis felt the need to look at the floor, Jack and his big mouth. He bet he could be with Jack for a thousand years and he _still_ he wouldn't have the nerve to make such remarks.

"Yes." And then silence, Jack listening to Elizabeth, his face wearing a serious expression.

"Really? That's unexpected." More silence.

"Ok. I'll tell him, don't worry." By now, Ennis was predicting bad news.

"Yeah, I know. If it's official, there's nothing we can do." Jack nodded unconsciously, hearing Elizabeth talking on the other end of the phone.

"We'll talk tomorrow morning. Love yah"

"You too, Beth."

"Bye."

Jack looked at Ennis and wet his lips, in the way he usually did when he was thinking about how to express himself. And that could only mean that this was complex news, or at least Jack still didn't know how to deal with it.

"Ennis, Elizabeth just called because we've have been assigned to a new case. It was a last minute decision from the board. She decided we should know as soon as possible."

"Together?" Ennis was confused. If the board had decided, then that meant it was a huge case.

"No. We're representing different parties. It's a divorce case. The firm is representing both Mr. and Mrs. Thurston. There's still a lot that's not very clear."

Ennis was silent, thinking about what Jack had just told him. But then he remembered Enrique Twist's words. The older man was making his move, trying to test Ennis in the worst way possible -- by interfering in the balance between their personal lives and their work lives. He couldn't help but wonder what he'd done wrong, but the answer was clear. Madrid. It had been a mistake and he hadn't fully paid for it yet. So Ennis Del Mar decided to take it the honorable way, in silence.

"Never heard of such a thing. What are the odds of the same firm representing different parts of a divorce with different lawyers? I would think that would be a conflict of interest."

"Ennis, the Magnet Firm is very well known among the rich and famous. They want the _best_ and the best is our firm. It doesn't happen all the time, but it has happened before a number of times. Both parties sign a waiver." Jack said sensing the irritation radiating from his lover.

"Ennis is that such a bad thing? We can do this. It's just another case. It might be odd for us, for sure, but we'll manage. There are other couples at the firm, some of them even married and they can't always work together…." Jack said sitting on his lap.

"You're right." Ennis said trying to manage a smile. He was determined not to tell Jack anything about his conversation with Enrique Twist. He didn't want to start a war. He had the intention of winning this one and keeping the prize all to himself.

Jack moved closer and wrapped his arms around Ennis's neck. Ennis wasn't the only one with fears and doubts. Jack was almost the same. This as all so new between them that sometimes he feared that Ennis would run away again. And the fear he had seen in Ennis's eyes a few minutes ago was still troubling him. Even in the most common situations, he still felt this irrational fear.

Ennis felt the tension and quickly pulled Jack closer to him and Jack eagerly responded by caressing Ennis's neck. Soon they were both feeling much calmer.

"Where were we before all this?"

"I believe you were trying to have your way with me." Ennis said shortening the distance between their faces.

"Really? You thought so? I can't remember." Jack said avoiding Ennis's lips. He was almost falling from Ennis's lap.

"I also remember you didn't give me my winner's kiss." Ennis said leaning closer again.

This time, Jack didn't avoid the kiss. Their lips touched and Jack remembered just how much he had wanted to do this all day. Since that very nice kiss in Ennis's office, his mind had been set on showing his appreciation in a more physical way. He shifted in Ennis's lap, rubbing in all the right places. It didn't take long to make Ennis moan and he could clearly feel that Ennis was already _feeling his appreciation_.

There was something about Jack that nobody knew about. It was clear that he was a very determined lover. But not like many determined people everybody knew. No. Sexually, Jack Twist always got what he wanted, when he wanted. But he did it in a very distinct way. His clues and demands were so subtle that they left his lover with the impression that _he_ was the one in control. And with Ennis, Jack was sometimes surprised. When Ennis was in his normal mood, he would let Jack be in control. And Jack knew that he let him. It was clear in every way, even if he never topped. But when passion would really rise, that was when _Alpha male_ Ennis would come out and play. That Ennis liked it in a very animalistic way. Jack would never confess to a living soul, but every single time that happened, it had been the best sexual encounter he had ever had. He was a bottom who liked to control, but secretly liked even more to _be_ controlled. The human mind was indeed complex.

"Let's go to my bedroom." Ennis said while kissing Jack's neck.

"No. I want it here." Jack answered quickly.

"Here?" Ennis hand was rubbing Jack's groin through the fabric of his tailored suit pants.

"Yeah, here." Jack answered while taking Ennis's tie and throwing it to the other corner of the room.

"Couch?" Ennis asked while kissing and biting Jack's neck.

"No." Jack was working the buttons of Ennis's shirt and Ennis's administrations on his neck weren't helping him focus on the task in hand.

"Floor?" Ennis had unzipped Jack's trousers enough to start stroking him under his boxers.

"No." Jack said huskily, finally opening Ennis's shirt. It was impossible to take it off since one of Ennis's hands was quite busy.

"Wall?" Ennis was afraid they would never get to try, since he was clearly not guessing correctly and things were progressing fast. Jack moved his hips a bit more and Ennis was feeling quite trapped inside of his trousers.

"Close." Jack said positioning himself with one leg at each side of Ennis's waist. Ennis's hand moved away to rest at Jack's hip and their groins rubbed against each other. Jack took the moment to strip Ennis of his shirt. But they didn't stay like that for long because Jack had other plans. He quickly unzipped Ennis's pants and smiled mischievous at Ennis's reaction.

"Aren't you forgetting to ask me something?" Jack smiled was suppressed by a demanding kiss and Ennis took the chance to push down the boxer's and pants, but longer than the hips because of their position.

"Closet?" Ennis asked when they broke their kiss, starting to open his boyfriend's shirt.

"No. But good try." Jack laughed softly as he let his shirt hit the floor and got up so suddenly from the couch that Ennis had been briefly surprised. Jack pulled him up and close to him and Ennis's hands moved to Jack's pants and in seconds they were on the floor. Jack stepped out of them and proceeded to do the same for Ennis.

"Window?" Their naked dicks were rubbing together and they were kissing intensely.

"Finally." Jack moved away and took what looked like lube from his briefcase.

"We're going to do it against the window?" Ennis asked breathing hard.

"You have no idea." And Jack pulled him with him, lying naked against the window, where one could see the lights of the city that never sleeps. The idea was warming in Ennis's mind, as Jack's legs came to tangle around his hips and he started to prepare the other man slowly. And when Ennis hands came to rest on Jack's hips, he was again surprised.

"Not like this, from behind." Jack whispered to him, letting his feet fall on the floor again.

Jack's sweat was shining like diamonds, thanks to the light coming outside. And as he bent in front of Ennis, his hands on the glass and his legs spread, Ennis wondered if someone from another building could see them. But all was forgotten as he slowly entered his lover. He would never get bored of the feeling, it was so completely different from anything else. But Jack was demanding that night, and he made clear again what he wanted by thrusting back immediately. Ennis thrust harder and deeper and Jack surprised him again by moving his body against the window and he was forced to kneel a little.

He had to admit, it was a hot scene they were making. There was something extremely arousing about doing it this way. Ennis let his gaze move toward the buildings and the city outside as Jack's sounds were sending him to the edge. Jack's face was the only thing that really wasn't forced against the window and Ennis noticed that Jack's cock was slamming against the window, covering it with semen.

Keeping the position was hard and Ennis thrust quickly while Jack growled a warning. God, did Ennis love Jack's sounds. He was so free, so concentrated on feeling. The perfect lover for Ennis.

Jack came with a spray against the window and Ennis thrust a few more times, coming for a long time and leaning against Jack's body. They eventually knelt on the floor, too tired to say or do anything else but breathe.

* * *

**Author:**_ I just felt naughty enough to write a much unexpected slash scene. I have no idea where these ideas came from. Probably from all the hours I spent studding anatomy._

_**On the next chapter:**__ The details of the Thurston case are revealed and Jack and Ennis found themselves working with the least expected partners!_


	12. A divorce between us

_**Author's Note: **__Thank you so very much for my friend _Kathy (**kittie8571**_) who is the Beta of this story! _

_Thank you everybody for the reviews! Especially to __**Jada91, Kate Andromeda**__ and _**cinque**_(hoping you can actually review this time!)._

* * *

**Chapter Twelve: A divorce between us**

Jack entered the apartment and quickly rid himself of his jacket, lettingit fall on the small, white chair. The place was silent and dark as usual. Jack's apartment was modern and luxurious, with two suites, a spacious kitchen, a living room and a balcony with a small Jacuzzi. Jack wondered why he never spent much time in it. He loved the living room, with the huge white couch he ordered from France and the paintings of American forests. It was a place to relax and rest. But he never got the time to truly enjoy it.

Now, in the complete darkness, the only thing he could just make out was the numbers in red on the screen of his answering machine. He moved toward it and clicked the button, waiting to hear the messages from yesterday.

"_**You have 2 messages."**_ The cold feminine voice said.

"_**Yesterday, 5 pm."**_

"_**Beeeeeep. Hi Jack, it's me, Robert. Look I finally got some time off from the magazine and I thought about the visit I've promised. Well… Maybe I'm really coming to New York. I'm thinking about maybe next month, maybe sooner. Call me. Can't remember the last time I heard from you. I bet Elizabeth is killing you with work. I'm going crazy here. Just call me back at the flat at Florence. Bye!"**_ There was a brief pause.

"_**Yesterday, 10 pm."**_

"_**Beeeeeep. Hi, Jack, it's your Uncle Daniel. Hope everything is fine with you, son. Just calling to make some plans with you. I know we usually see each other at your dad's place, but this is special. Sunday, golf and tennis at the club, 8 am. Confirm with Linda, please. Bye."**_

"_**You have no more messages." **_

Jack was surprised. Two different people he was fond of leaving him surprising messages, he thought.

Robert was the most surprising. Jack and Robert had been best friends since Robert had worked for a local detective as a photographer. The tedious work of taking photos of unfaithful wives helped Robert to be the best on his current job, being a photographer for National Geographic magazine. All the sneaking around really helped him to catch the best animal photos. But with his new work, Robert never had time to spend with his friends. He would spend months at a time in distant countries, taking hundreds of photos, only to see two or three of those end up in the actual publication. Jack had the habit of sending him one e-mail per week, telling him all the news in the firm and in his life. Lately, with all the massive events, he hadn't found the time to send his weekly messages. Robert must have been worried.

Still, it was surprising to hear him talk about visting him in New York. Jack thought Robert had forgotten his promise long ago. Nevertheless, it could be fun meeting with his old buddy, introducing him to Ennis, maybe having a couple of dinners in town. Jack definitely needed to call him and schedule the visit.

Another interesting development was Uncle Daniel's call. Mr. Daniel Smith wasn't really Jack's uncle -- he was Enrique Twist's best friend. Jack had grown up accustomed to the company of the Smith family. Uncle Daniel was married for many years to his wife, his only love, a strong and intelligent woman, who helped him with all of his investments. She had been completely different from all the other rich men's wives. Daniel was the owner of a vast fortune and when his wife passed the way from cancer, Daniel decided to focus on his long time project, the country club. The Smith's Club was, at present, a very well-known place for the elite to meet in New York.

Jack wondered what could make Uncle Daniel act so bizarre. Jack usually had dinner with his father a few times a month and some of those times Uncle Daniel was present too. He was as comfortable in Uncle Daniel's company as he was with his own father. It was probably something about his father, maybe something about his upcoming birthday. Jack probably would've forgotten, but then it was still two months away. Wasn't it too soon? he thought.

Making a mental note to call Linda, Uncle Daniel's secretary, Jack moved to the bathroom. He needed to take a shower and change clothes because in about two hours, he would be starting a difficult day in the Magnet Firm. The new case was destined to be a special one, with he and Ennis battling it out in court. He wondered how that would affect their relationship. Ennis didn't seem too amused with the fact, but Jack thought he saw something else in Ennis's eyes, a deep concern, that didn't seem to fit in the moment. There was something else bothering Ennis and he needed to find out what it was.

* * *

Ennis petted Neve one last time and closed the door of the apartment. Without looking twice, he stepped into the elevator and quickly arrived at his car.

It was raining in New York City and the traffic was awful. The car would only move a few inches every five minutes and Ennis was glad that he lived so close to the office. He looked out the window. The streets and sky were as grey as his thoughts.

Since Elizabeth's call last night, he couldn't help but expect the worst. Enrique Twist didn't like him and he was a very rich and very powerful man. Ennis felt helpless and incapable of dealing with the situation. He needed to act wisely and keep an eye on Enrique Twist if he wanted everything to end up well.

He finally arrived at the firm, parking in his spot in the underground lot. He looked at his old watch. He would be right on time for the first meeting about the Thurston v. Thurston case. This would be the only meeting that would bring all the lawyers assigned to the case together. The firm would discuss its goals and the strategies each attorney should take so that none of the clients would be less than satisfied. It was like a very delicate dance. The problem was deciding who should lead. Ennis wondered if this was one of those cases where everything is already decided and the lawyers are nothing more than paid pawns pretending to do their jobs while winning a lot of money. He truly despised those moments, but they had happened before in his career. But that would have been too easy for him and old Enrique Twist seemed to have other plans. Or so Ennis thought.

He arrived at the conference room feeling a little nervous. The room itself was very impressive. A large, oval table occupied more than half the space, with more than 20 seats and a large window that covered an entire wall. It was right next to Enrique's office and it shared the same amazing view. In the clear lights of the new day, the whole space was bright. Two figures stood next to the table, awaiting Ennis's arrival.

Jack was talking with Elizabeth near the big window and Ennis could tell there was something wrong just by the look on their faces. They were exchanging glances and talking in a low tone. He approached them, smiling at his godmother and slightly rubbing Jack's back. His hand barely touched the white shirt. It was all about intention.

"Hi, kid. The meeting has been delayed. Some of our co-workers seem to be late, stuck in traffic." Elizabeth said waving around her mug of coffee.

"Yeah, even some members of the board are late." Jack said, unconsciously caressing his new watch.

"Can either of you give me a brief summary of this case? Thurston is not an unfamiliar name, but it's definitely not from around here." Ennis asked looking at both of them.

"Yes, Elizabeth, do you have news?" asked Jack. "I'm still confused with some things I'd heard."

"I'm afraid I don't have good news. You're in for some adventure with this case." She paused, trying to find the right words. "The Thurston family is in the middle of a crisis. Mathew Thurston is a famous politician, who, until a few days ago, was the man with the best shot at becoming senator of North Dakota. That's why you remember his name, Ennis. He's been on campaign for almost a month." The petite woman looked at Ennis smiling.

"His chances were pretty good. He had an ideal image and the best campaign. The loving father, the perfect husband, the good Christian…" Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "The problem happened when his wife, Ennis's client, Danielle Thurston, found out about the affair he was having with her best friend, Julian Reyes. She immediately asked him for a divorce but she wants it to be kept quiet. And you know what they say -- behind every great man is a great woman. So if there is no woman at all, the man can't be that great!" Elizabeth said smiling ironically.

"Mathew Thurston is a furious man. He doesn't want for the divorce to become public just yet and his wife had accepted it, but he is doing everything in his power to delay the issue longer. His intentions are clear. He wants to delay this until the election." She said, playing with the long curls of her blond hair.

"This is not the case I was expecting. Ennis is quite good at criminal cases. Why is he working on this divorce? And even _I_ don't deal in divorces that frequently." Jack asked Elizabeth.

"That's what we're going to find out at the meeting. And there is also the rumor that you guys are going to have partners to work on this. My guess is that there are other important details that I don't know. Especially related to the evidence Mrs. Thurston possessed of her husband's affairs and the details about their prenuptial deal. I heard someone mention this last night."

"Of course, money and property. I bet Mr. Thurston is not only going to lose his political chances, he's probably going to lose half of his fortune too. Do they have kids?" Ennis asked, picking up the papers placed on his seat.

"Yes, a son, just five years old. Custody will be discussed sooner or later. That is, if the divorce goes forward. Mr. Thurston is making it all very difficult and Mrs. Thurston is not the kind of woman to stand up to him. Or so it seems to me." Elizabeth said, showing them a picture of the boy.

Ennis knew why attorneys and detectives needed to have pictures of the people involved in their cases. He found out the reason in his second year of university. To do their best, to have the ability to get inside other people's minds, lawyers and detectives needed to get intimate with the case, the need to know everything, the need to make each case personal and important. This kid, without being important to any of them, was the one in the middle of the fight. He had to focus on him and have him on his mind while he was doing this. He needed to make this case personal.

"So, my client doesn't want the divorce. Is there any chance we can reach a settlement? Maybe she could be persuaded?" Jack asked, already thinking about strategies to consider.

"Of course. There is going to be a peaceful meeting between the two parties later this week. The firm is interested in this opportunity. With a deal, the two partiess win and we double win as well. But the chances of reaching an agreement are very small. Mr. Thurston does not want to get divorced in the middle of his campaign or lose half of his fortune. I'm afraid from that point on, it's going to be an open war. Mrs. Thurston is going to make it public and then, only God knows what Mr. Thurston's reaction is going to be."

"I see." Ennis said, not really surprised. He was completely sure that Enrique was behind this decision and what he wanted was an open confrontation between him and Jack. This case was only starting. Things would get much more complicated from now on.

"Almost everyone is here. I suppose as soon as my father arrives the meeting will begin." Jack said looking around the conference room. More people were coming in by the minute.

"You're right. So, are there other topics to discuss today?" Ennis said, sitting at his place in the large table. Jack leaned against the table and Elizabeth stepped closer to answer.

"They may talk about the nominations for board membership." The petite woman tried to hide her excitement about the topic but failed miserably.

"Board membership?" asked Ennis, completely puzzled. He had heard of the board members but he had never thought about how one was chosen to be a member of the board.

"You have a good chance of being one of the nominees, don't you?" Jack asked Elizabeth, smiling widely.

"I hope so, Jack." Elizabeth said smiling. Looking at Ennis, she added, "The board is the group of lawyers headed by Enrique. They're the ones that make the big decisions related to the firm. It's the highest you can go here and there is only one place available when an old member retires. This year, a very senior member retired and there is a position open. I, myself, being one of the older and most successful lawyers at the firm, have a chance to be nominated for the opening. The final decision is then made by election by the other members of the board, Enrique being the one with final word."

"That sounds incredible. Are you nervous?" Ennis placed his hand on the petite blond's shoulder, showing his admiration.

"Of course she is. This has been her dream since she arrived here."

"Jack . . . let's not raise our hopes too high."

"I think Jack is right. You do have a decent shot. And nothing would make me prouder! I can already see you taking your position at the Magnet Spring party!"

"Thanks, kid." Elizabeth said smiling but then something on the other side of the room caught her attention. Ennis and Jack looked too.

Entering the conference room was Frederic Dawson, followed by Enrique Twist and a few other lawyers. Frederic looked in their direction and smiled widely, showing all his perfect white teeth. The man was irritably good looking, Ennis thought. Being as tall as Ennis but less muscular, Frederic Dawson looked like a model. His grey eyes and long silky platinum blond hair could have made him look feminine, but there were lines on his face that made such statement impossible. The man was naturally "metrosexual" and obviously homosexual. Ennis could swear he had never seen him wear the same suit or tie twice.

Elizabeth and Jack took their seats and in a few seconds, everyone was seated and waiting for Enrique Twist to start the meeting.

"Thank you all for your patience. This city is having one of those days!" The blue eyed man said smiling briefly. "We're here to discuss the Thurston case. Let's begin with the first topic -- the teams for each side of the case." Enrique picked a small piece o paper from his side of the desk. "Representing Mr. Thurston, Jack Twist and Frederic Dawson."

There was a small pause and Ennis felt like he had just been hit by a train. This was a low blow from Enrique Twist, but he still felt stupid for not having expected it. The man knew this firm like the back of his hand. He would surely know how to piss him off. Breathing hard through his nose, Ennis glanced at Jack who seemed to be surprised as well.

"Representing Mrs. Thurston, Ennis Del Mar and Helen Carrilho."

Another surprise, since Ennis really didn't know Helen very well. The woman was sitting a few chairs down from him. Helen was an average Latin-American girl, with dark brown hair and light brown eyes. She had an amazing tan that seemed to intensify the curves of her body, the combination of which seemed to be enough to make every man do a double take when she walked by them. Ennis noticed her because of her last name, Carrilho, which she shared with her father, who was one of the most famous attorneys of the 20thcentury, Manolo Carrilho. Ennis had always wondered if she was so solicited by famous people because of that or by her own merit. And it seemed like now would be the moment to find out.

"I believe you all know the major details of this case. If not, you can read about it all on the few pages placed in front of your seats." Enrique Twist took a small pair of glasses from his jacket pocket and put them on so that he could read from the papers he brought with him. "Mrs. Thurston does indeed have proof of the mentioned infidelity. Team Del Mar/Carrilho is going to work on them. This is all I want the other team to know. About the prenuptial agreement, Mr. Dawson, if you would, please enlighten us since you are the expert on divorces."

"Of course, Mr. Twist. The Thurstons married in April, 1987. Danielle is the daughter of an Italian businessman and so she owned several properties all over Europe before she got married. Those properties are in her name alone and will not be discussed as part of the Thurston's possessions since they were listed as solely hers in the prenup. There was also a special clause . . . and this is where the trouble starts . . . that in case one part of the couple was proved to be unfaithful, a large share of 2.5 million dollars would be given to the other party. The nature of the evidences needed to activate this clause is described in the paper annexed to the prenup that you should all have." Frederic showed the members which pages he was referring to.

"Thank you, Frederic." Mr. Twist called attention back to him. "As you should now understand, this case has all the makings of becoming a_major_ scandal. I have absolutely no faith in the possibilities of a deal. Even so, both teams should make it their priority to persuade the clients. The Magnet firm knows the importance of defending both clients with equal effort, so my only order is to have each and every one of you here focusing solely on _this_ case. Obviously, if needed, you may use any of the resources of the firm. This is the only meeting with both partiess of the case. From this moment forward, both teams will keep the details of their files completely confidential. I will make the importance of this secrecy clear to our other associates not involved in the case. I'll have meetings with Ennis and Jack, so that I can be informed of the progress." Enrique Twist looked at both of them and they silently nodded.

"Now, let's quickly move on to the next topic we need to talk about --the nominees for board membership. After many hours of deliberating, it was decided that this year, there will be three nominees for the opening." He paused for effect. "Bernard Vig, Andy Wallace and Elizabeth Noris. The results of the election will be announced at the annual Magnet spring party as usual. This year, there will be a few other surprises as well." Enrique smiled and looked at his secretary, the one responsible for the details of the major social events at the firm. "Well, I believe that's all for today. Let's get to work!"

Ennis got up from his chair and went to embrace Elizabeth who was already surrounded by other lawyers who wanted to congratulate her. Jack was right by her side, smiling as if the nominee was him. He could understand how much this meant to Elizabeth.

"Congratulations. It wasn't that much of a surprise, was it?" Ennis asked the blond woman.

"No, but it's great news anyway. I think I'm going to give one of my special parties on Friday. It's not every day that someone is nominated for a place on the board. And this might be a sign of a new phase in life for me." She was smiling and Ennis's intuition told him this had nothing to do with the nomination.

"I think it's a great idea. Let me have the details. I may even send Matilda to help you."

"Thanks, Jack, but I need to let both of you work. Your partners are already waiting." Elizabeth said smiling and left the conference room.

Ennis looked to the left to see Helen and Fredric making small talk while waiting for the both of them. He had no idea if they were even friends. He sighed, thinking that this was going to be a long week. Working with Helen Carrilho was acceptable, or at least he was expecting it to be, but his problem would be watching Jack with Frederic all the time. He wasn't going to pretend he wasn't jealous of the blond man, for he was way behind that phase. He hoped the blond man wouldn't try anything. His willpower only went so far.

"I guess this is when the game begins. I'll stop by your office before I leave tonight." Jack said smiling. Ennis felt better. At least one of them was taking this easy, or pretending to at least.

"Okay. I know we can't talk about the case but we can still watch soccer together, right?"

"Of course. No matter how busy we are -- tomorrow -- my place. Good luck." Jack gave him one of his looks and quickly stepped outside taking Frederic with him, who looked happy with himself. Ennis stepped closer to Helen. He really didn't know what to expect from this woman. The brunette was picking up some files from the big table. She looked up and made a small smile. Ennis had no clue what was going to happen.

"I really don't know who has the more difficult job. Us, working with a betrayed woman who surely wants nothing more than revenge, or them, working with the furious politician who risks losing everything." She said casually.

"It's going to be complicated." Ennis said, realizing only after saying them out loud how true his words were.

"You know . . . I've heard a lot of gossip about you." She said studying him closely. Ennis wondered if this was about his relationship with Jack or something else.

"Really?"

"Mm hmm. You have quite the reputation. Worked your way from nothing all the way to the top, I hear. Some pretty unusual cases on the record too."

"Yes that's all true. No one I ever knew was a lawyer. I guess when I started studying, I didn't really know what I was getting into."

"In so many ways, I envy you. I never seemed to get rid of my father's shadow. Everything I do always pales in comparison. I may get better, but I'm never good enough."

"Sometimes we need to do our own evaluations. Forget the rest. We are the only ones who truly know what we do." Ennis said opening the door for her and following her to his office.

"It's always difficult not to listen to everybody else's opinion. But I guess you're right, Ennis, and I'll take your advice. May I call you Ennis?"

"Of course, but only if I can call you Helen. I like to work on a first name basis. It makes it all easier."

"Yeah, me too. Look, do you have any idea who we should recruit for our team?"

"None. I've actually had no time to think about it." Ennis said sitting down in his chair while Helen made herself comfortable on a chair in front of him.

"Well, this isn't the first time I've worked on a big case like this. Actually, I'm almost as proficient in divorce cases as Frederic. We've worked together a couple of times. I was surprised the board didn't make me switch places with Jack, but then it wouldn't be fair for both of you. Divorces aren't my specialty _per se_ but I'm quite good at them." She took a few pages and gave them to Ennis. "So, if you'll allow me, I think I know the best attorneys to get to work with us."

Ennis looked at the list. Four newer associates, but whom he'd already worked with before in the Santos' case. Elizabeth used them a lot of times and they were terrific at investigation and research.

"I know them. They're very good. How do you know Frederic and Jack won't pick them?"

"Because Frederic likes to work with his team and Jack may try to change his mind, but believe me, not even he is capable of such a thing." She smiled at Ennis.

"I see you didn't like to work with him." Ennis said suddenly interested in Helen's opinion.

"If you want to win, Frederic is one of the best partners you can have. If you like team work, you better find someone else."

"I see. I've never worked with him. But I've only been working here for about three months."

"Do you like it so far?"

"Yes, definitely." Ennis smiled.

"Your godmother is Elizabeth, so you'd better." She responded with a small laugh.

"Well, I like this team. I think we should call them as soon as possible. Are they all available?" Ennis said determined.

"Mr. Twist told us we can ask anyone we want. They're junior associates, so they probably don't have any cases, and some might be working for other attorneys. Since we have maximum priority, we can get them for our team. Piece of cake. Leave it to me."

"Great, I'm going to tell Mrs. Campbell to call them for you and schedule our first meeting as soon as possible."

"Yes, you do that. I'm going to my office to call Mrs. Thurston. How's tomorrow morning for a first meeting?"

"Sounds good. Look, I really think you should be the one doing most of the talking. She's a woman, and I think she'd probably feel better talking with another woman. Plus, I'm not that good with words. That's why I love murder cases. Victims can't talk and criminals don't need a soft touch." Ennis said simply and was surprised when the brown-eyed woman laughed loudly and left the office without another word.

It seemed that working with Helen wasn't going to be so bad.

* * *

Jack on the other hand wasn't having such a good time. Actually, he was already growing weary of Frederic Dawson and the case was only starting.

"Jack, believe me, this is the best team we could possibly get." The blond man said, leaning closer. This, Jack thought, was the worst thing about Frederic. The man seemed to have absolutely no knowledge of personal space. That and the continuous flirtation. He used to do that with every available man in the firm, but lately it seemed he had focused on Jack, much to Jack's displeasure.

"If you say so. After all, you are the expert in divorces." Jack said not really believing it but already tired of arguing with the stubborn man about the topic.

"You know Jack, we made a great team." Frederic said smiling and covering Jack's hand with his own. Jack removed his hand, feeling furious. He couldn't remember the last time he felt like he was being sexually harassed, but he was feeling like that right now.

"Frederic, if we're going to work together, you have to understand that nothing is ever going to happen between us personally. I have a boyfriend and you know him quite well. His name is Ennis Del Mar and he will gladly put you in your place."

"Really? That guy? We both know he's not your type. Give him some time with a woman and we'll see what happens."

"How dare you say such a thing? You don't know him and you don't know me. Do me a favor, alright? From now on, our relationship is entirely professional. Another word about my personal life and I guarantee you, I'm off this case and reporting you to the board."

"Alright, alright, Jack. I get it. I didn't mean to offend you. Just remember, I'll be here when he breaks your heart. And I, being the gentleman that I am, will gladly be there to help you pick up the pieces."

"Frederic! Enough of this talk. Let's get to work." Jack said, totally pissed off about the situation he was stuck in. He didn't want to give up the opportunity of being involved in this huge case but he surely didn't want to lose Ennis because of Frederic or have to listen to all of Frederic's nonsense about Ennis. And what was with Frederic? Is he possessed or something?

He focused back on the details Frederic was now talking about, wanting desperately to get home as soon as possible.

* * *

Ennis felt like he had been in a fight recently but couldn't remember anything about it. Every single muscle in his body wanted rest badly. He had been working for almost 12 hours nonstop. He and Helen and himbriefed the other lawyers and sent them on the first part of the investigation. Then, they scheduled a meeting with Mrs. Thurston for tomorrow morning. After all of that was taken care of, they studied the details of the complex prenuptial deal for four hours. Ennis was completely exhausted when he finally put his key in the lock. He now felt that weird sensation, the one when the mental tiredness turned into physical tiredness.

It wasn't really that late, only 9 pm, but the intensity of the day has struck him down. So much work, so much pressure and he only saw Jack when he was leaving, around 6 pm. He looked as tired as Ennis felt, but because he was with Helen, all he could do was wave a friendly goodbye.

Ennis focused on reality again as Neve started to meow loudly, asking for his attention. On the table was his dinner, cooked by the charming Lucia May. Ennis wasn't really hungry so he paced around the house reading some papers. It was a habit he had picked up in his small dorm room back at university. He had been walking from the bathroom to the kitchen for half an hour, until the bell rang. Ennis went to the door and opened it to a smiling Veronica.

"You forgot didn't you?" She said, picking up Neve who had come to greet her from the floor. She walked inside the apartment and sat on the sofa.

"Jesus, sorry. Sorry, it's just I had a terrible day." Ennis said, feeling stupid not to have at least tea or coffee to offer.

"Maybe I should go then." Veronica said, looking at Ennis.

"No, no. I really do need to talk to you." He sat on the sofa next to her, leaving the papers on the table, trying to relax for the first time in hours.

"Is it another big case?"

"Yes and no."

"What do you mean?"

"I've been trying to find the right way to tell you, but I guess it needs to be today."

"You're scaring me, Ennis. What could possibly be that difficult to say? Oh, my God. Are you an ex-convict or something? "

"What? No! Do I look like one?" Ennis said, indigent.

"No! Not at all. I was just teasing you. Sorry.."

"You're a crazy woman, Veronica."

"So they tell me. But go on… what's on your mind?"

"You know my friend Jack?" Ennis said, not really waiting for an answer. "Well… we're…"

"Oh my God -- is _that_ your big news?" Veronica chuckled. "You think I didn't know? I live right next door to you. He's been here every single weekend, sometimes during the week. He even sleeps in your apartment. How could I not know? The entire building knows!"

"Maybe if you weren't so nosy you wouldn't know." Ennis said, slightly annoyed since he had been so worried about telling her.

"It's a small building, Ennis. A couple of weeks ago, I was leaving for work really early and I saw this nice looking man walking out your door. Black hair, blue eyes, I thought to myself it has to be Jack. Then I understood our terrible date and all the other things you keep saying and not saying."

"I take it you're alright with it, then?"

"Of course, Ennis. City girl from the 21st century, here. I'm more than comfortable with gay men."

"Thank you. It means a lot to me." Ennis said putting his hand on her shoulder and smiling.

"Now, tell me what happened. Did you guys fight or something?"

Ennis smiled and began to tell her all about the complicated case he was working on and how Enrique seemed to be plotting to end their relationship. He was happy to finally have someone to talk to about anything and everying going on in his life.

Finally arriving at his apartment in another part of the city, Jack was happy to be home. He had a simple dinner made by Matilda and then he sent a few e-mails, one of them to Robert, telling him how messed up his life had recently become. Then he went shopping, wanting to surprise Ennis. And for Jack, any excuse to go shopping was a good excuse.

Arriving back at his apartment, Jack heard the phone ringing and ran inside to get the call.

"Hello?"

"Hi Jack, it's Elizabeth."

"Hi, is everything ok? I was just going to call you. How was dinner with Mary?"

"Good. Yeah, it was good. Jack, I'm driving to your apartment because I need to talk with someone as quickly as possible." Jack was surprised by the nervous sound in her voice.

"Are you really ok? What did she tell you?"

"Jack -- she has a child. A beautiful baby girl of six months. I saw her with my own two eyes!"

Jack was speechless. What was he supposed to say? A dozen questions ran through his mind. Who was the father of the baby? Why had she returned?

He stood there staring at the phone, wondering if the day could get any more bizarre.

* * *

**Author:**_Very complex chapter. I simply added a few new parts and changed some others. Hope you liked it._

_**On the next chapter:**__ Ennis and Helen found themself in the middle of a larger political scandal. While Jack has to keep up with the anoying Frederic and help his best friend to deal with the return of Mary Bingley. _


	13. It was all about money and power

_**Author's Note: **__Thank you so very much for my friend _Kathy (**kittie8571**_) who is the Beta of this story! _

_Thank you everybody for the reviews! Especially to __**Jada91, sweetjg, greatmtm, Kala Evans, weepuffling, joetheone, onefreetoroam**__and_**cinque**.

* * *

**Chapter Thirteen: It was all about money and power **

Jack was sitting on his couch, looking at Elizabeth. He had never seen her in such a state. The small woman looked more shocked than anything else.

"Beth, please, take a deep breath and start telling me everything, this time from the beginning and please remember that I wasn't there."

The blond woman opened her mouth to speak, but all that came out was a groan of frustration. She was obviously still in shock.

"Ok. I'll help you. When you left the firm this evening, you passed by my office and you told me that you and Mary were going to have dinner together. Frederic was there, working with me so you didn't say much." Jack looked at Elizabeth waiting for an answer.

"Well, we did have dinner at the Italian restaurant I told you about. We talked and she said…" Elizabeth sighed. "She said she had been missing me. That all these years in Canada seemed like days now that she was back. She told me that all this time, she liked or desired other women but she only loved me." Jack swallowed hard at the declaration of love said simply and directly -- Mary Bingley's style. The woman had no sense of delicacy.

"She told me that I was the reason why she had returned. She wanted to see me, to be with me again. At least as friends, if nothing else."

"What did you tell her?" Asked Jack, but he couldn't control the excitement he was feeling. Elizabeth was the only person he knew worse then him at expressing her feelings, but at least now there was still hope. He didn't think Mary was good enough for Elizabeth, but she was the only one who could make a difference in Elizabeth's life.

"I told her that four years was a large amount of time;that I was a different person now. I told her that I had thought about myself and my life, and I had made some important decisions, but that there had been no one else after her. I confessed that I still love her, if not more so now." Elizabeth was almost crying now. "She told me that she wanted to be with me too, but there was something she needed to tell me. Needless to say, my world turned upside down after what I found out."

"Did you fight?"

"No. I was in complete shock. When I was able to focus again, Mary was taking me to her apartment, showing me this small, beautiful baby. Her egg and some man's sperm is all it took to make that perfection. I just stood there, looking at the baby for a few minutes, completely frozen, until Mary told me to go home and call her when the shock had passed. She said she'd wait for me to think on things."

"She_was_ trying to be understanding, after all."

"Understanding? I had the shock of my life. She's a _mother_!"

"Well, maybe you needed the shock. You can't live for your work Beth. You have no real family, with the exception of your sister, but she lives miles away. You have very few friends and very little free time." Jack looked her in the eyes, trying to sound as serious as possible. "Your life is stuck in neutral and you need to think very carefully about this situation. You love her . . . she loves you . . . but there's the baby."

"I guess the worst part is this strange feeling of betrayal, like the baby is from some other woman. It's ridiculous, I know."

"Beth, she gave you the chance to do that with her. You didn't feel ready and you gave her absolutely no indication that you ever would be. How could you have expected her to put her life on hold, waiting for you?"

"I know. You're right." She said, playing with her fingers nervously.

"In my opinion, you're lucky she returned, lucky she loves you enough to want to take another chance with you, to get to know her baby. I don't particularly like her, but she loves you and she's the only person who can make you happy."

"Still, it is difficult. Two women and a baby. I need to think about it."

"Mary did give you time to do so."

"What would my parents say if they were alive?"

"You want my honest opinion? They're dead! And parents always want their children's happiness. _She's_ your chance of happiness."

"Thank you, Jack. I think I'm going home now. I have a party to organize." Elizabeth rose from her spot on the couch and made a move toward the door.

"Yeah, you'd better go and do some serious thinking about all this. And try not to go nuts about the party. Bye, Beth." Jack opened the door smiling.

"Bye, kid." Elizabeth said, walking away and leaving Jack with his own thoughts about the matter.

* * *

Ennis woke up feeling somehow happy. The previous night's events had lightened his mood. Veronica had been very helpful, giving him a lot of good advice and even sharing with him a couple of personal stories about her love life. Ennis felt they were quickly becoming great friends, the kind of friends you have for a life time.

He opened his eyes slowly, trying to enjoy the music coming from the alarm clock. He briefly wondered why, with all the money he had now, he still liked to buy cheap things in Chinese shops. Old habits die hard, people always say, and it was true. He still felt like it was a waste of money to buy ridiculously expensive things when one could buy it much cheaper from a Chinese shop. And he was becoming familiar with the shops in China town.

He could feel the laziness of facing a particularly hard day and stopped trying to make his muscles obey him. The lamp was intermittent again, and he wondered what phenomenon could explain that this particular lamp was almost always malfunctioning in the mornings. He rubbed his eyes slowly and in one movement rose from his bed. If he stayed any longer, he would never get up.

Neve was already up and impatient for his attention. He was moving to the kitchen when the phone rang. Ennis looked at the DVD player's clock, it was 7:30 am. Whoever was calling must have a very good reason, he thought. He slowly picked up the phone.

"Ennis Del Mar."

"Mr. Del Mar, it's David Spade." A nervous, young, male voice said. Ennis immediately remembered the face behind the name. David was one of the lawyers that he and Helen had picked for their team.

"Why are you calling me at this ungodly hour? Couldn't it wait for another hour or two?" He didn't mean to sound harsh, but he was annoyed.

"I'm very sorry, Mr. Del Mar. I got a little too excited by what I've just found out."

"It better be something big, Dave. I hate people calling me about work at this hour of the day." He said, still annoyed.

"Sorry once again, Mr. Del Mar. I'm going to get straight to the point. Do you remember Mrs. Thurston had sent us a laptop from her husband? She was expecting to find e-mails that will help us prove his relationship with Julian Reyes, her best friend?"

"Of course, I remember. It was a big lead, since the laptop was bought by her and it was in her name, we could manipulate it easily and use it as evidence. Let me guess, you finally got the codes to enter in the data base?" Ennis asked in a bored tone. He knew how exciting it used to be being a young attorney working on a big case.

"Yes, but that's not why I called."

"For God's sake, Dave, just get to the point."

"I found evidence of corruption in the Thurston campaign. Almost 20 phone numbers and bank accounts of businessmen interested in a Thurston victory. They were paying for his campaign, expecting to reap the benefits after Thurston became a senator. Of course, this is not totally unexpected but it gives us a very powerful advantage."

"Are you sure of the authenticity of this discovery?" Ennis wasn't really surprised but he knew better than to rush to conclusions.

"The files were encrypted. I was lucky because a friend of mine is a genius at computers, he's still studying at university, so he picked the files and made a challenge out of them. Last night one of them did it!"

"Ok. How difficult was it to break?"

"Are you kidding? These guys took a _whole day_ to discover how to open them. I would say the program used was a very good one. Some of them know how to enter FBI sites without being traced."

"What about his relationship with Julian Reyes? Any interesting news?"

"This is the best part. Julian Reyes was also on the list of corrupted sponsors of Mr. Thurston campaign." This time Ennis raised an eyebrow in surprise. Not that Dave could see.

"Does this mean you found something else?"

"Yes, Mr. Del Mar. It seems Mathew Thurston may not have been unfaithful to his wife for the common reasons. By the e-mails exchanged, it looks like he was actually paying for her financial support with sexual favors." Ennis could sense the amused tone in the young lawyer's voice and he, himself, was finding it curious.

"Now that's unexpected. Listen, where are you making this call from?" Ennis asked remembering the importance of keeping such scandal silenced.

"From your office, Mr. Del Mar. I'm well aware of the secrecy of this information."

"Good, but I have to ask you, did the guy who broke the codes have access to those e-mails?"

"No, they extract the codes configuration so that they could try to open it on virtually any other PC. Like I told you, this information was locked by the most modern type of software technology. We were_extremely_ lucky!"

"That's actually the main reason why this is in our hands now, Dave. Mr. Thurston was clever enough to think this information was safer under our noses, since he figured we should never have been able to unlock it." Ennis paused trying to absorb the new information. "Good job, David. I guarantee you that I won't forget it."

"Thank you sir, see you in a couple of hours."

"Bye David."

Ennis ran his right hand through his hair, trying to predict the implication of another crime in the case. He and Helen weren't expecting this type of surprise. This discovery in the case would send the scandal to a whole other level. Political scandal was the responsibility of the D.A.'s Office and Ennis's client surely would not be involved. Their discovery will start another investigation. He really needed to discuss this with Helen.

Moving to the bathroom, Ennis wondered if Jack and Frederic could even imagine what their client had been up to.

* * *

Jack was a stressed out man. He had an intense argument with his father earlier at breakfast about his partnership with Frederic. Jack was surprised to find out that his father wasn't really that bothered about Frederic's insinuations about him and Ennis. In fact "you can't take a man in love seriously" were his exact words. He couldn't understand how his overprotective father was acting so out of character. Enrique Twist didn't seem to be himself lately.

Jack walked inside Frederic's office. They were supposed to have a meeting with the other lawyers of the team this morning. As expected, Frederic Dawson was already reading and reviewing some information related to the case.

Jack and Frederic had worked on the alibis for the dates when the supposed affairs had happened. It had been a difficult job but with the experience of Frederic, it all turned out just perfectly. Julian Reyes was another important part of their plan. The woman was more than ready to help Mathew Thurston get out of this mess and willing to deny any romantic involvement. Jack had a gut feeling about her, he just didn't know why.

"Good morning, Jack." Frederic said, finally noticing that Jack had entered his office.

"Good morning, Frederic." Jack answered coolly and that made the blond man look up from his reading material and take out his reading glasses.

"Look, Jack, I know you're mad at me. Yesterday I said some things to you and I'm sorry. It's just, I can't understand how you could choose someone like Ennis when you could easily have me. We're perfect for each other… We understand each other professionally, and our families have known each other for years. We would make a wonderful couple and even our last names sound lovely together."

"Are you finished?" Jack answered annoyed. "Frederic, we've been through this. I love Ennis and that's the last I'm going to say on the matter. As for your apologies, they're accepted. We need to get along in order to work together and I believe when you say you didn't mean to upset me."

"I just want the best for you Jack."

"For God's sake. Not even you can believe that YOU would be best for me! You like to play around, everybody knows that! You would just take me for granted. You didn't honestly thing that one day you would wake up ready for commitment, and I was going to be waiting and willing to be your "wife." Reality check, Frederic. That was never even an option to me."

"Maybe I would take you for granted. But everything I said is true, Jack."

"It doesn't change anything."

"Jack, I'm not giving up on us. I'm just not stupid enough to ruin all my chances by arguing with you." At this answer, Jack rolled his eyes.

"Whatever you say. Let's just drop it and go back to work okay?"

"Yes, we'd better." Frederic said and they both dug in the mounds of papers surrounding them.

* * *

At the same time, in a room not far away, Ennis and Helen were having a totally different conversation.

"So, are you stunned?" Ennis asked after having related the latest discoveries to Helen. The brunette looked like she was petrified.

"I certainly wasn't expecting this. Are you 100 sure?"

"Definitely. You know how difficult it is to prove the reliability of e-mails, but the experts David found were able to trace the IP address of the correspondent and it matched Julian Reyes' personal computer. This one is at her house, so it's doubtful that someone else sent those e-mails."

"I just wonder why such a rich man would accept being a sex slave for money and support from a woman."

"First of all, we're not talking about just any woman. Julian Reyes is at least 20 times richer than any of Mathew's other supporters and almost 100 times richer than Mathew himself. Second, we can't exclude the fact that they were probably romantically involved too or at least they could have been in the past. Why would such a rich woman need to pay for sex with a man?" Ennis asked smirking at Helen who laughed silently. "Third, if Mathew Thurston won, can you imagine the kind of power he would have? He must have wanted it desperately enough to do anything for it. I wouldn't be surprised if we find out other types of crimes too."

"What are we going to do about this?" Helen asked after a brief moment of silence. She understood these types of actions were Ennis's expertise.

"We're definitely going to expose this in court. If we send this information to the police right now, we lose all our work. Mathew would be going to jail and not even Mrs. Thurston will give us the credit we deserve."

"You're right. The firm can win a lot from this. We just need to do it at the right time."

"I'm almost sure this divorce is going to be public in a couple of days. From that moment on, we're going to have almost the entire American press following our every move. It couldn't get any better than this."

"Julian Reyes and the others on the list are going down too. It's going to be a _huge_ shock in North Dakota."

"Surely. But I guess our client is going to be a little more shocked. What time is she arriving?"

"She should be here any minute. What do you want me to tell her?" Helen said looking at her silver and pink watch.

"That we've found evidence in the laptop that is going to help us. And please, forget about the deal. We want to destroy the hypocrite in court, so don't try to convince her otherwise."

"The board told us to focus our time on the deal Ennis." Helen said looking worried.

"Not even Enrique believed we could do it, so he's not going to be that disappointed about it. Anyway, I'll assume full responsibility if anything happens."

"No need for that. We're a team. Our decisions are made together and we stick to them together." Helen said looking tremendously serious.

"I wouldn't have expected anything else from you, Helen." Ennis said smiling and Helen looked at him surprised at the friendly tone coming from Ennis. They stood for a few seconds looking at each other, trying to understand what was going through each other's minds.

The strange moment was broken when the phone on Ennis's desk rang and Mrs. Campbell announced from the other side of the line that Mrs. Thurston had just arrived.

* * *

Ennis was driving to Jack's apartment feeling extremely tired. The meeting with Mrs. Thurston was not really what he had expected. Danielle Thurston was surely one of the sweetest, most peaceful women he had ever met. He could finally understand how a woman betrayed by her husband and best friend could keep silent. And Elizabeth's words at that first meeting finally made sense.

Danielle Thurston was a woman in her forties. She still looked quite beautiful, but by now there were already some undeniable wrinkles on her face. With a closer look one could tell she was extremely tired, probably by lack of sleep and many hours of crying. Ennis felt even more determined to get justice. She was a martyr and the lawyer in him was clapping his hands in excitement. No one could resist a betrayed woman.

The black haired woman was happily surprised to know that new evidence was discovered and after she heard their plan, Danielle Thurston was clearly pleased. She cried very little during the meeting and even managed to mention the need of winning custody of her son. Ennis had assured her of their efforts on every topic and reminded her about the upcoming meeting with the other party. Thankfully she didn't seem to be happy with the prospect of letting her husband off easy. Helen also did a wonderful job. Danielle already trusted her completely. And that was important for them. They needed her full cooperation in the next stages of the case.

Ennis stopped the car and looked up. Jack's apartment was in one of the most modern and luxurious buildings in New York. A bit too far from the firm but it was all worth it for the amazing view of Central Park. Ennis always felt like this part of the city was from another dimension, completely different from all the rest. Even the people walking on the streets were better dressed.

Ennis looked at his reflection in the mirror of the elevator and silently cursed. After a whole day at the firm, he looked horrible. Dark circles were under his eyes and an exhausted expression was on his face. He had gone straight home after work, ate a quick dinner and drove to Jack's home without any other concern. Now he wondered if he shouldn't have at least changed clothes. Arriving at Jack's door, Ennis knocked twice and after a few seconds, Jack opened the door smiling and looking as tired as him. But as usual, he still looked 100 times better.

"Hi, honey." Jack said, moving closer to kiss Ennis. The kiss quickly became a little more affectionate as Jack seemed to be oin one of his moods. Remembering that they were still in front of his house, Jack withdrew, still keeping his hand around his boyfriend's neck.

"Hi, baby." Ennis said, feeling a little out of breath but smiling. He liked the way Jack always showed his affections and he sometimes envied him of that.

"I've missed you a lot today. I didn't see you at all." Jack said resting his head against his lover's chest.

"Jack, we're still in front of your door." Ennis said smiling.

"You're right. Let's stop with the peep show." Jack said moving away from Ennis and pulled the blond into the apartment holding his hand.

"You know, I've missed you a lot too." Ennis said taking off his jacket and putting it in the closet. "Actually, I saw you on lunch break. You were following Frederic to his office and I was going out to buy a few sandwiches for me and Helen."

"I'm still eating. Do you want some? I wonder if you had dinner at all. It's a bit earlier than usual." Jack said pointing to the table where his plate was waiting. Ennis shook his head and sat on the couch near the table watching Jack eat the wonderful food Matilda had made for him.

"I had a quick dinner. I admit, I was quite eager to get here." Ennis looked away from Jack, a little shy and Jack knew that look well so he decided to change topics.

"So how is it to work with Helen? I've heard some stories about her strong personality. I wondered if you guys would fight much."

"Good, I guess. And we haven't fought yet. She's a very impressive lady, and surely knows what she wants. I was very impressed with her." Ennis said smiling, but then he noticed the look on Jack's face. His boyfriend seemed surprised and for a second, there was something else in his face. Ennis could swear it was jealously. "Jack, come on. You're the one working with the supermodel who wants nothing more than to get into your boxers."

"I know. But I was still surprised by the tone of admiration in your voice." Jack said realizing it was stupid to feel jealous of a woman he didn't even know that well and knowing that Ennis loved him. But Frederic's words were echoing in his mind.

"I thought I was the one who should be gving those looks and making comments." Ennis said, trying to lighting the mood. "If you take away my very few lines, I'm going to end up mute."

"Sorry Ennis, it's just…" Jack paused and stopped eating to look at Ennis. "Frederic has been a pain in the ass the past couple of days." Jack could see the way Ennis tensed up in seconds.

"What has he done? I swear, I'll punch his pretty face one of these days." Ennis said already feeling his blood boil.

"Calm down. He's just being himself, making nasty remarks about our relationship, questioning your homosexuality, subtly hitting one me…" Jack regretted that last bit as soon as the words were out of his mouth. He wasn't used to lying to Ennis so the truth just felt natural being said.

"The nerve of that man! I swear I'm going to break his nose next time I lay my eyes on him." Ennis said furiously.

"Ennis, please, if you keep reacting like this I'll stop telling you what happens between me and Frederic." Jack said putting his plate away.

"I'm sorry Jack. I'm trying here but you gotta admit, this may be too much for me. It's pretty annoying!"

"I'm an adult man and I can deal with guys like Frederic. I'm just tired of having to have this extra pressure." Jack thought to himself that he was also angry with his dad regarding his latest comments, but because of a suspicion he had been keeping about Ennis and his father, he decided not to say it out loud.

"I understand, baby. I just can't control myself. Frederic surely know how to push my buttons."

"If you can't control your emotions, he's the one winning, you know?" Jack said sitting next to Ennis on the couch.

"You're right, and I won't forget." Ennis said embracing Jack and kissing him with all the passion he was feeling. He was surprised when a few minutes later, Jack broke the kiss a little too abruptly.

"Humm, honey? You're not going to believe what I found out yesterday. Elizabeth called me all stressed out. It seems Mary has a child and wants to give their relationship another go." Jack smiled at the shocked expression on Ennis face.

"I thought as much, but still, it's quite a shock. How's Elizabeth?"

"I sincerely don't know. She seems to be dealing with it better than I would have expected. She's actually taking some time to sort things out. But she was still clearly in shock when she told me."

"Does this mean there's a possible reconciliation down the line? The whole family thing?"

"I was surprised but Beth is considering that possibility. Did I tell you Mary's baby girl is six months old? Elizabeth saw her and she said she was the most beautiful baby she had ever seen." Jack said smiling. "I'm suspecting she secretly wants this, she just couldn't come to terms with herself about it."

"Maybe this is what Elizabeth needed. A family…"

"Have you ever thought about a family, Ennis?" Jack asked, leaning closer to Ennis.

"I don't know. I never saw myself as the "dad" type. You know -- being a workaholic and too lonely for my own good. Now that I… that I'm coming to the conclusion that I'm gay, it doesn't look like it's going to happen." Ennis said looking at Jack for his opinion. "I guess there was a reason why none of my very few girlfriends had me convinced about it."

"Yeah, the only thing I slightly regret about being gay is not being able to have kids with my partner the regular way. But you know, I have a couple of friends who decided to ask a female friend to have their child or tried surrogacy."

"I've heard about something like that." Ennis said lost in thought and Jack decided there was no need to scare Ennis with this talk anymore.

"Do you think Mary is going to be at the party on Friday night?"

"I hope so. That would mean she and Elizabeth have solved all their problems, or at least they would be trying to." Ennis said, turning the TV on.

"You know what we could do next Saturday?" Jack asked after a few minutes of watching the highlights of the Roland Garros, in Ennis's arms.

"No."

"We could go watch the final in Paris. We could take one of the firm's concords or something. Dad'll never know. One of the pilots is a very good friend of mine. I introduced him to his wife at my birthday party a couple of years ago. He'll be happy to do me a favor."

"You're sure he won't know?" Ennis asked worried.

"Absolutely. And I promise we'll be back on Monday!"

"Then it's a date." Ennis said moving his head down to kiss him.

And after a lot of making out on Jack's couch, they fell asleep in each others arms, both too tired to do anything else.

* * *

**Author:**_I just love Frederic Dawson on this chapter. The guy is totally crazy. _

_**On the next chapter:**__ Elizabeth's party comes with a surprise that will shock everyone, especially Jack and Ennis. _


	14. Time for commitment?

_**Author's Note: **__Thank you so very much for my friend _Kathy (**kittie8571**_) who is the Beta of this story! _

_Thank you everybody for the reviews! Specially to __**lynny, joetheone**__ and __**cinque**_.

* * *

**Chapter Fourteen:**** Time for commitment? **

The next two days passed as the two others before, full of work and with no other great news. Jack and Ennis looked like ghosts haunting the rooms of the big firm. The only exception was on Thursday morning when Jack and Ennis arrived late to the firm to the shock of their secretaries and amusement of Elizabeth.

What happened was that after sleeping on the couch with no alarm clock, Jack and Ennis woke up extremely late. After a lot of cursing, the couple arrived at the firm wearing the same clothes as the day before and looking positively shagged. Thankfully, almost all of their colleagues were already engaged with work; otherwise, the entire firm would have had confirmation of the numerous rumors going around about the two of them.

Ennis was still remembering the episode when he arrived at Jack's apartment and for the first time, it brought him a smile to his lips. After all, _he_ was the reason why Jack had been late for work for the first time in years. It surely meant something.

He rang the bell. No knocking on doors tonight, he thought. Tonight, Ennis Del Mar was going to take Jack Twist to Elizabeth's party. A simple date and he could feel the butterflies in his stomach. He was extremely nervous, exactly as he had been on their first date. Like Jack said, this was their first public appearance together. Of course, everyone could think they were just two friends arriving together, but Ennis knew this was going to be the official affirmation of the rumors. And he was slightly nervous.

"Hi, honey. You're a bit early, aren't you?" Jack said, opening the door and giving him his usual "hello" kiss.

"Yeah, I'm a bit nervous." Ennis said moving quickly to the couch.

"You don't have to be, honey." Jack said sitting with him on the sofa.

"I can't help it. Do you realize everybody in the firm is going to know that I'm gay?" Ennis said biting his nails.

"Ennis, look at me." Jack said lifting his boyfriend's jaw. "Do you love me?"

"Of course I do, otherwise I wouldn't be doing this."

"Do you really think they don't know already? Yesterday was quite clear, don't you think?" Jack said moving closer to Ennis.

"You're going to be the death of me." Ennis said caressing Jack's lips with his index finger. His finger rested on the small mole near his upper lip.

"Ah, you love it." Jack said, knowing full well that it was true.

Ennis brushed their lips together, slightly at first and then stronger and more forcefully until he could feel Jack's tongue brushing against his lips, seeking permission. Ennis opened his mouth eagerly and let his tongue meet Jack's half way. He could not control the moan coming out of his mouth and Jack slightly withdrew.

"Hmm, honey, this has to wait until after the party. I don't want to be late." Jack said licking his lips and getting up from the couch.

"I'll remember you've promised me that my mar." Ennis said feeling much more relaxed.

"Am I supposed to pretend I didn't hear your odd pet name?" Jack asked from the bedroom.

"I don't know what you're talking about, baby." Ennis said and Jack laughed. After a few seconds, his cell phone rang and Ennis saw it was Elizabeth.

"Hi, Elizabeth."

"Hi, kid. Look, are you guys ready?"

"Almost. I'm already at Jack's place. He's still in his room getting ready. Do you need anything?"

"I was expecting him to be." She paused and Ennis could hear her take a deep breath from the other side of the line. "I made a last minute decision."

"Are you going to cancel the whole thing?" Ennis asked, worried.

"Of course not! It's something completely different. I called Mary and asked her to come over. I'm calling because I need you guys to take care of most things, so we can talk properly. I know it's bad timing but some things can't wait when you make up your mind." There was a determined tone in her voice and Ennis's mind swam with the possibilities of her tone.

"So, does this mean…"

"You know what this means. Grab Jack and get here as soon as possible. Bye."

"Bye…" But Ennis couldn't finish because Elizabeth had already ended the call. He looked at the phone for a few seconds and smiled until a loud laugh emerge from his mouth.

"Who was it?" Jack said appearing from his bedroom and still readjusting his sweater.

"It was Elizabeth. You're not going to believe it. She just called me saying we need to get to her place as soon as possible. She had some kind of epiphany and decided to call Mary so they could talk right now. We need to go and keep things at the party in order."

"I'm shocked. Did she tell you what kind of talk?"

"She said and I quote «_You know what this means_»."

"Oh my God! It can't be. Do you think she's going to give Mary another chance?" Jack asked, utterly amazed.

"You're the one who knows her so well. How should I know?"

"Point taken. But I'm not sure I know her that well anymore."

"I know baby but we need to go as soon as we can. Are you ready?"

"Yes. Are you nervous?"

"Not anymore. I'm actually looking forward to the party now." Ennis said starting to turn off the lights while Jack set up the security alarm.

"Let's go then, honey." Jack said closing the door.

"My car is parked just outside the building." Ennis said while they entered the elevator. He felt Jack's eyes on his polo and he couldn't control the smile coming from his lips. He couldn't remember the last time he had smiled so much in so little time.

"You're wearing the blue polo again. One would think you have nothing else to wear." Jack teased when they arrived at the building's front door, his hand caressing the fabric.

"I'm waiting for my rich boyfriend to buy me a new one." It was then that Jack noticed the car standing in front of them. This wasn't Ennis car. The black Hyundai was nowhere to be seen. In front of them was a brand new silver BMW Z4 and by the look on Ennis's face, the car was his.

"Do you like it?" Ennis asked unlocking the doors and shutting off the alarm. The silver beauty made a small chirp sound and the lights turned on and off in seconds.

"It's beautiful and I think it totally fits you. But what have you done with your old Hyundai?" Jack asked sitting in the passenger seat.

"It wasn't really mine. I was leasing it for the first two months." He stopped the conversation switching on the engine and starting to drive to Elizabeth's house. "This car is a long time dream of mine."

"I love my blue M5 but this is something else. I should have known we'd have similar taste in cars." Jack said looking around. "Some people may not believe it, but we do have a lot in common. And then, of course, there's the amazing sex." Jack teased.

"One of the few things I like to spend money on is cars!" Ennis said putting on some music.

"And sports! Are you excited about our little trip tomorrow?" Jack said looking at his cell phone.

"Little trip? We're going to Paris, France. It's a long flight. I really don't know how we're going to be here on Sunday morning. Maybe I can persuade you to change your mind and stay until at least Sunday afternoon."

"Ennis, I told you, I need to be at my uncle's country club at 8 am. I'm sick of thinking about what he wants to tell me, so I've decided not to delay it." Jack looked over at Ennis and he saw the small disappointment on his face.

"Sorry honey, maybe after this stupid case, we can have a weekend in Paris. Just shopping and romancing."

"No shopping, please." Ennis said rolling his eyes. "Elizabeth had already warned me about your shopping reputation."

"Ok. It's a date." Jack looked outside the window for a few minutes and then he remembered something. "Do you have anyone to take care of Neve? Matilda would gladly keep him for tomorrow."

"No. It's unnecessary, he's staying with Veronica as usual."

"Oh, your next door neighbor. I think I saw her one day."

"She seems to like you a lot. This week we were talking about work and I told her that you and I were dating and she wasn't even surprised. She said you were extremely hot."

"She has good taste. She probably saw me walking out your door at 6 am a couple of times and figured it out."

"Jack, she didn't even know I was gay."

"Some people just know. Veronica must be one of them."

"She wants to meet you and I want you to meet her. She's becoming a really good friend to me. I think you're going to like her." Ennis said as they arrived at Elizabeth's house. Near the gates, a young man dressed in white was waiting to park their car.

"I already like her, Ennis." Jack answered stepping out of the car. "It seems Elizabeth has really done it this time"

The house was shining with the numerous lamps placed around the gardens, pink and white flowers were surrounding the big balcony and some of the columns. Dozens of people, dressed in white uniforms, were walking around immersed in their duties. Some of them were carrying chairs, others tables. Ennis stared at the peacock, which was lazily walking a few feet away, far from the confusion the humans were creating. He wondered if the peacock was part of Elizabeth's party or another decoration for the party. The whole picture reminded him of some English landscapes he had seen many years before in a gallery.

"For the love of God. What are we supposed to do?" Ennis said trying to avoid walking into the members of the staff.

"Do you remember Monique? The night Elizabeth gave your reception party you met her." Jack was talking and looking around.

"You're joking, right? That night I was so nervous, I could hardly stand a five minute conversation with anyone. And I met thousands of different people. How could I remember?"

"Someone who saw you would say that you were very relaxed and enjoyed yourself immensely. You hid perfectly." Jack said entering the house through the open door. Ennis followed. "Well, at any rate, you _did_ meet her. She's the governess of the house, actually it's a mansion, but no one calls it that anymore."

"So, Monique is the one who could help us?"

"Certainly." Jack said knocking on the last door on the right corridor. "If anyone knows how to run this house, it's her."

"Yes." An elegant older woman stepped outside the door smiling at Jack. "Mr. Twist, how have you been?"

"Very well, madam. May I inquire the same?"

"I'm quite well, Mr. Twist. And this fine gentleman must be the much mentioned Mr. Del Mar." The older lady said laying her eyes on him.

"You are correct, madam."

"Elizabeth showed me a photo not long ago." She smiled. "Oh, that reminds me, she's right now talking with Mrs. Bingley in the studio."

"Yes, we're aware, madam Monique. Actually, Elizabeth sent us to help with the last minute preparations."

"Very well. It's still early so you can come with me. We're going to take a walk around the entire house, trying to find out if there's anything left needing to be done."

The two young men followed the white haired lady, feeling more and more like they were in a black and white movie.

* * *

Jack and Ennis were both standing outside Elizabeth's door, greeting the numerous guests already arriving. Every single one would ask about Elizabeth and every single one would have the same answer: _Elizabeth is unfortunately delayed but will greet all the guests at the table a little later_.

Jack was the one doing the talking and Ennis would nod and instruct the gentlemen where everything was located. By the 20th time, they were both bored and feeling more and more anxious. If Elizabeth didn't come out soon, they would have to come up with a different excuse. They were greeting guests for more than 10 minutes when Frederic Dawson arrived and after some tension and a few stares, nothing more happened and Jack could breathe again, relieved.

Half an hour passed and Jack and Ennis were now forced to open the doors to the dining room. They waited for the guests to sit so they could tell them Elizabeth was ill or some other acceptable excuse. Jack was already standing up when Elizabeth and Mary finally arrived at the table.

"May I have your attention please? Everyone -- here she is, in our presence, our friend, colleague and nominee, Elizabeth Noris." Jack sat in his seat and clapped his hands with the rest of the room.

"Thank you all. I'm very happy that you're all here." Jack observed her, there was some flush on her cheeks and her eyes were sparkling and he could immediately understand that Elizabeth and Mary had made up their minds. They were finally together. Mary sat on the chair right next to Elizabeth and smirked to Jack and the blue eyed man knew there was something else happening. He knew her well enough to know that if she was happy, he was going to get surprised.

"I know you're all here to celebrate my nomination and to have a handshake with the well-known _beast_in court." She smiled as some of the guests laughed.

"But I'm going to use this moment to announce something else." Jack looked at Ennis surprised.

"Ladies and gentleman I would like to announce my engagement to my long time love, Mary Bingley." The room was silent but after a couple of seconds they all started to clap their hands for the two women standing up next to each other. Ennis had to shake Jack a little, the man was in shock but it finally hit him and he started to clap his hands and cry.

"Thank you very much." Mary said showing them her engagement ring.

Ennis thought Jack was going to faint but all he did was stop crying and began babbling about happiness and love and something else Ennis didn't quite understand.

"Jack, baby, Elizabeth may think you're not happy for her. Try to smile at least." Ennis whispered at Jack's ear. That seemed to work because Jack managed a smiled that lasted the entire dinner.

* * *

"I can't believe you asked her to marry you." Jack said.

Ennis, Elizabeth and Jack were all standing in the garden, far away from the curious eyes. Mary had excused herself to phone the babysitter. The lights Elizabeth had bought made the garden look like the Garden of Eden. The peacock was no big thing -- Elizabeth had swans in this part of the garden. The biggest ones Ennis had ever seen.

They were sitting on wooden white chairs while Monique took care of the guests' needs. The older woman had been crying all night and Ennis didn't know if it was from happiness or sadness, since Jack had told him that she and Mary didn't get along well. It was almost midnight and Jack and Ennis needed to leave soon, for they were supposed to be at the airport at 7 am.

"I know it was unexpected but my heart was so sure. I'm in love and tired of wasting time." Elizabeth said seriously.

"I can't begin to tell you how happy I am for you. I'm still sort of in shock anyway." Jack looked at the view of the garden, lost in thought.

"It's a big step but like I told Jack, maybe this is what you needed… a family. Have you thought about the baby? God, you look tremendously happy." Ennis said smiling.

"I've been thinking of nothing else. Her name is Sophie, and she's the spitting image of Mary. You guys need to come meet her."

"Yeah, Eliza is right. What about Saturday at my house?" Mary asked sitting next to Elizabeth.

"Sorry, we're leaving for France tomorrow morning but we'll return on Sunday morning. It's a quick trip to see the final of Roland Garros." Ennis said apologizing.

"Actually, we need to be here on Sunday because of my Uncle Daniel. He left the strangest message on my answering machine a couple of days ago, saying he needed to talk to me on Sunday morning and I've been worrying about it since. But we're free on Sunday afternoon, aren't we Ennis?"

"Yes, we are. I have a few things to take care of but it can all be done before lunch."

"Then you can come to my house and Monique will make a nice snack and maybe dinner. And I'll introduce you to my Sophie." Elizabeth said, holding hands with Mary.

"It's a plan then." Ennis said standing up. "I guess it's time to go pack everything and have some sleep."

"You're right. Let's go." Jack paused in front of his best friend. "You made me very happy today, but most of all, you made yourself happy." They hugged and Mary and Ennis shared a knowing glance.

"Thank you, Jack." Elizabeth said, getting emotional again.

"Now you two behave. I don't want to find out that poor madam Monique had a stroke because she found the two of you in a compromising position." Jack teased.

"It certainly wouldn't be the first time." Mary said smirking and Elizabeth blushed profusely.

"I always said you were a bad influence, Mary." Jack smiled, happy to have the old Mary back. He and Mary may not have gotten along much but they both shared the pleasure of making Elizabeth blush.

"Jack, stop tormenting Elizabeth. She just got engaged. She deserves to do anything she wants." Ennis said, pushing Jack away from the two women and then kissing them both goodbye.

The two men drove happily home commenting that since Elizabeth had chosen the party to announce her engagement, nobody had the mind to noticed them. Not that anybody had any doubts left, Jack thought.

* * *

Ennis and Jack arrived at Jack's building in less than 15 minutes. It was almost 1 am and the city that doesn't sleep was taking a nap, at least in this part of the neighborhood. Jack, as all New Yorkers, wasn't that sleepy.

"Come on Ennis, just come up for a bit. I need you to give you something." Jack said sitting in the passenger's seat, using his puppy dog eyes.

"Jack, stop it. I know what you want to give me and as nice as that would be, I don't want to go to Paris dressed like this because I had no time to go home to change." Ennis said moving closer against the seat.

"You really assume too much, Ennis Del Mar. It isn't that -- really. And about the clothes, you don't need to worry because I went shopping a couple of days ago and I bought you something to have in my apartment. You know . . . just in case…"

"You bought me something to wear? How did you know if I was going to like it? Do you even know what my size is?" Ennis said amazed.

"The answer is yes to everything. And maybe you should come up and try them on."

"You're not going to give up, are you?"

"Of course not. Now get out of the car." Jack said opening the door and stepping out in the dark night.

"Ok, but only because I want a mug of coffee before I go home." Ennis said following him.

"Oh, really? It has nothing at all to do with you being curious about my gift?" Jack asked entering the elevator.

"Definitely not." Ennis said pushing the button to Jack's floor.

"Or the fact that I put out?" Jack said teasing him.

"Jack! Do you want your neighbors to know _everything_ about our life? Just keep your voice down." Jack laughed but remained silent until they arrived at the door and Ennis decided to ask the question that had been bothering him.

"How the hell did Elizabeth come up with a ring?"

"It was probably a family heirloom. It looked quite old."

"The things you notice. I was so shocked I had absolutely no time to think properly."

"The Noris's are a very old family. It's only natural that they have engagement rings from previous generations. I have one too."

"I had no idea." Ennis said taking his coat off and looking at Jack, waiting.

"And you say you're not curious!" Jack teased.

"I'm not but you did promise me a surprise, did you not?"

"Yeah, I did. I'm going to pick it up for you." Jack answered disappearing through the bedroom door. Ennis looked after him, feeling a little excited with the expectation. Jack appeared a few minutes later with a box that looked too big for a ring, but too small to be anything else that Ennis could have guessed.

"A present? It's not my birthday." Ennis said smiling happily.

"Pretending to be surprised? You gave me a _boyfriend watch_ and I didn't have anything good enough to give at that moment, so this last week I've been thinking about what would be a suitable present for my boyfriend."

"I'm flattered." Ennis said, honestly surprised about the reason of the present. He hadn't thought about it that way.

"So aren't you going to open it?"

"Of course I will. I just like to take my time." What Ennis didn't say was that we also liked to tease Jack. Three long minutes passed and Ennis was still playing around.

"Ennis, for God's sake, if you don't open it this second I swear I'll open it myself." Jack was almost screaming in frustration.

"Ok. Ok." And this time Ennis ripped apart the paper and opened the box. Inside the box there were too different small keys. One modern and silver, the other one gold and looked like ones usually used in a machine. Ennis looked at Jack surprised. What had Jack been thinking?

"Before you can say anything, Ennis. There's absolutely no way I would accept those two keys back. It's not your choice, it was mine and they are yours now."

"Jack you're freaking me out. What are these keys for?" Ennis asked, his eyes were wide and deep inside, he was a bit afraid.

"The silver one is the key to my apartment. Rather symbolic I know, but now you can take care of things when I'm gone on business trips. You can visit Matilda and sniff my pillow while I'm miles away." Jack was only teasing but a part of what he said was actually true. He wanted Ennis to take care of the place while he was gone. It was something symbolic to him.

"You're too funny, Jack. Sniffing pillows? Is that what you think I would do?" Ennis raised an eyebrow questioning Jack's sanity.

"You can come and sleep in my bed and eat my cereal, if that's romantic enough for you."

"Of course. I'm thinking about using your clothes and stealing all of your sex toys." Ennis said ironically.

"Don't you want to know what the other one is for? Because, that's your real present."

"You shouldn't have, really…" Ennis started, picking the odd key from the box. He was sure he had seen a similar one before.

"It's a key for a helicopter that I have leased for an entire year! It's in the closest airport and believe me, it's a beauty." Jack said, happy to see the surprise on his lover's face.

"Jack! An entire year? That must have been a lot of money. I simply can't accept it." Ennis said shaking his head and trying to give the key back to Jack.

"You_will_ accept it because I want to have a lot of nice flights around New York with you. And, if you must know, it wasn't that expensive. My father actually has one and because of the club, my Uncle Daniel knows the owner, so I got a very special price. Happy?" Jack said smiling.

"Extremely." Ennis said kissing Jack on the lips. And when they drew apart to breathe Ennis whispered in Jack's ear. "Don't you think is time for me to try on my new clothes?"

"I have a better idea." Jack whispered back. "And it doesn't involve clothes at all."

"Do I get to sniff your pillow?" Ennis asked with a smile.

"No, but you _do_get to steal my sex toys."

And they both laughed together. And in the end neither of them got any sleep that night or tried on any clothes.

* * *

**Author:**_ The sex toys joke it's my favourite part. Hope you liked all these new rewritten chapters. I had great fun!_

_**On the next chapter:**__ Jack and Ennis spend their Saturday together in Paris. It's fluffy time! We also find out a little more about Jack's past!_


	15. And time to romance!

_**Author's Note: I have a new Beta!!!**_ _Thank you so very much for my friend _Kathy (**kittie8571**_) who is now Beta my work!_

_**PS(important!):**__ This also means faster new chapters! Hurray :P I'm very sorry for the last updates, from now on it will be different. I've written until **chapter 20**, so it's up to you dear reader… _

_Thank you everybody for the reviews! Especially to **Jada91, Emmy**, **Tigerlili141161**, **joetheone**, **crow61348**, **lynny**, **jerseygirl65** and **kaylin**!_

* * *

**Chapter Fifteen: And time to romance!**

Jack looked at Ennis for the third time in less than five seconds. The man he loved, his boyfriend, had fallen asleep almost immediately upon sitting in their airplane seats. A part of him was mad for being left alone on the first part of their little romance trip, another part was pleased to see Ennis rest at least a few hours. He wondered if he would do the same, if he could actually do it. For Jack Twist it had proved impossible to sleep during the sunlight and especially not so early in the morning.

Trying to find something to distract his mind, Jack picked up a rather famous American journal to read. A few minutes later he was surprised to find in the Social page a picture of Elizabeth and Mary kissing in front of what appeared to be Elizabeth's house. At the right of the photo was a short article.

_The famous lawyer__, Elizabeth Noris, is set to marry one of the biggest legends of crime investigation in New York, detective Mary Bingley. The announcement was made yesterday in a private party in Elizabeth Noris' mansion. The engagement took friends and colleagues by surprise as Mrs. Bingley had returned to New York just a few days before, after having given birth to a beautiful daughter in Canada just six months ago…_

The article continued with the ridiculous possibility that Elizabeth was actually the real biological mother of the child and that Mary had gone to Canada to protect the child from the American press and to avoid the shock of Elizabeth's clients.

As if they care about her personal life, Jack thought. All they care about is winning and Elizabeth is a winner, so they will always pick her from everybody else. Jack was shaking his head slightly and whispering nonsense phrases when Ennis finally awoke. He had been sleeping for more than four hours, more than half the flight.

"Hi." Ennis managed to say.

"You sleep well?" Jack asked.

"Yeah, sorry baby. Guess I was really tired. You're not angry, are you?"

"No, I was just reading a very interesting article." Jack said, giving Ennis the newspaper.

"Speculation… Rumour… Far from the truth! Speculation… And speculation again! Nothing new, that's for sure." Ennis said, while his eyes scanned the page.

"You're right. I just don't want anything to ruin what took years for Elizabeth to get."

"No one can do that Jack and you…" Ennis eyes widened as he read something in another page of the newspaper. "Jack there's something else here." Jack looked at the page Ennis put in front of him. In big black letters was written, "**The billionaire** **Carlos Santos is engaged!**" Jack looked at the picture and looked at a smiling Mr. Santos, who was standing near a brunette woman, who looked to be at least twenty years his junior. Jack couldn't help it. He started to laugh uncontrollably.

"I wonder why I'm still surprised. Rich men can seem to be lonely for a long amount of time." Ennis voiced still looking with disgust at the picture.

"My father has been lonely all his life." Jack said laughing a little less. "I remember a few girlfriends when I was younger, but never anything serious."

Ennis looked at Jack's face, worried. He could easily remember the night when Jack talked about his mother's death. They had made love for the first time, or at least it had been the first time Ennis felt it had absolutely nothing to do with physical satisfaction or making up for previous mistakes. It had been about two lovers showing each other their feelings; it had been about learning what the other liked, what the other needed, and it had been almost painfully slow and gentle.

Yes, he could clearly remember it. Jack beneath him, facing him, muttering words of love and happiness, while both their bodies rocked at the same slow pace. Even now he couldn't understand how they'd silently agreed to have it that way, usually they would feel the urgency of the passionate love and the undeniable attraction they both have for each other. But that night had been different. So sweet and perfect. A taste of heaven.

So when he pushed Jack next to him, after feeling the most intense, blissful orgasm he had ever experienced, he was surprised to see Jack looking far from sleepy. A few gentle fingers stroking his hair and Jack had started to talk, saying he had never felt so happy in his life. Not even when his father would tell him a story about his mother. Ennis felt surprised at that moment. He knew Jack's mother had died, he had told him so when they first met, he just didn't know he was so young back then.

Ennis held him closer, wanting badly to ask him about it, wondering if he should. So when a single tear rolled down Jack's cheek, Ennis predicted what would happen. The blue eyed man started to tell him everything about it and Ennis listened quietly. It wasn't that much of a story. It was actually a simple and sad story. Jack's mum had died a few days after giving birth. A few complications and a strong infection that not even Jack seemed to fully understand made Nelly Twist pass away, leaving Jack without a mother figure for most of his life. Even Uncle Daniel's wife, whom Jack had loved very much, died young with cancer, leaving Jack with two dead mothers.

"What are you thinking about?" Jack asked Ennis, waking the blond man from his thoughts.

"Nothing really, just that with this engagement we're going to be working together again soon." Ennis said not totally lying. The thought had passed through his mind a few minutes earlier.

"Are you thinking about a prenuptial deal too?"

"Completely. It's going to be a nightmare! The man owns half of Spain, not to mention the money he makes from the oil industries all over Africa. We must investigate this fiancé immediately." Ennis said, attentively reading the article.

"Ennis, honey." Jack said taking the newspaper away from him. "It's our trip. Let's forget work for a day."

"You're right, sorry. I was carried away with the news. Monday morning I'll give him a call but it surely can wait, since we'll be working on the Thurston case for at least a few more weeks."

"You're right." Jack said smiling looking outside of the window. Outside there was nothing but deep dark blue ocean. The Atlantic Ocean.

"Jack, have you thought about when you want to try to use the helicopter you rented for me?"

"Actually, you're the one that is going to try it, aren't you? I'm just going to enjoy the flight."

"I want your company and I'm sure you want to pick the time and date." Ennis said, distractedly reading a brochure about Paris.

"You're right. But I'm not sure when. Next week is going to be a living hell with the meeting of the two parties."

"You're totally right." Ennis answered, remembering just how bad he thought it would be. Jack was clearly far away from knowing it.

* * *

Ennis was surprised to find just how much Jack knew about the city and the Roland Garros competition. They had picked up one taxi from the two taxi ranks set up for the public during the tournament and since then Jack hadn't stop talking about the game and the stadium. 

"Did you know that the _Place des Mousquetaires_ has a bronze statue at each of its four corners, depicting Jean Borotra, René Lacouste, Jacques Brugnon and Henri Cochet?"

"No. It's understandable those are some of the most impressive former French champions. But what's the _Place des Mousquetaires_?"

"It's at the heart of the Roland Garros stadium, we're going to see it after the game."

"You kept saying to me the place was huge, only yesterday when I went to check the site on the internet, I realized they have a village! It was in the Venue map."

"Impressed? You shouldn't be. We have first row seats. It's so close we're going to see dust in Nadal's tennis."

"I'm starting to think you're an obsessed fan of his." Ennis asked trying to suppress a little jealously.

"Ennis, the kid is 21 years old. Do I look like a nanny? As far as I know he's definitely not gay."

"You know something? That kind of phrase doesn't convince me anymore. Nothing is definitely. "

"Not everyone has a Jack Twist in his life." Jack whispered in Ennis ear.

Ennis looked away, suddenly more interested in the view. He still felt uncomfortable showing his emotions in public and the taxi driver didn't seem to pass undetected by his inner voice.

"You know your dear Rafael Nadal is going to lose this time. I have a feeling." Ennis said, trying to start an argument that he would certainly enjoy.

"What? You believe Federer has a chance?" Jack said smiling ironically.

"A chance? He's going to win." Ennis said after the car had stopped. He paid the taxi driver with the euros he had brought with him. Elizabeth had advised him to take a lot of European money with him in case of any emergency and so Ennis found himself with more than 500 euros in his wallet.

"You know honey, I'm so sure Nadal is going to win that I'm up for a bet." Jack looked at Ennis eyes clearly challenging him.

"Really what do you want to bet?"

"If Nadal wins today, you'll have to French kiss me right at the moment. It's appropriate and Elizabeth is going to find it extremely funny on Sunday."

"Kiss you in the middle of all those people? What if I win the bet?"

"I don't know. It's your prize."

"You're right. If I win we'll stay in Paris for the rest of the weekend."

"Ennis I'm worried about Uncle Daniel! And we have Beth's dinner. We can't stay much longer after the match."

"Well it's all or nothing." Ennis said happy to have a small chance of making his later plan come true.

"I'm so sure you're going to lose the bet that I eagerly accept." Jack said reaching the main stadium.

"Victory is going to be so sweet." Ennis dramatically stated showing his ticket to the security system. "But you know something Jack? It's unfair that either way you seem to win something."

"Funny, I was actually going to say the same thing." Jack said arriving at their amazing seats.

* * *

"Feeling nervous honey?" Jack whispered when the third set had ended. Nadal was winning two sets against one and it was visible that Roger Federer wasn't playing as good as he was expected to be. 

"If I didn't know better I would say you paid him to lose on purpose." Ennis said annoyed and Jack laughed silently.

"I have to admit that even I had expected more from him. After all he is the number one in the world ranking. Still he is definitely not the number one on clay tennis."

"I still have hope." Ennis said looking around for the crowd waiting for the match to continue. "I think that I've never seen so many men wearing so many ridiculous hats."

"Ennis you're just frustrated because you're going to lose."

With that said, Jack and Ennis fell into an expected silence of someone watching such a notorious match. After a few successful break points from Nadal, Ennis knew he was destined to lose the bet. He wasn't unhappy or nervous about kissing Jack. Everybody would be looking at the winner and the loser. Who would notice two guys kissing in the middle of the crowd? Especially not in such a liberal city like Paris. He was disappointed because his last chance to convince Jack to stay for the weekend was flying away.

"I don't know why you like Nadal so much." Ennis whispered in his boyfriend ear, during the break between points.

"Because he's Spanish." Jack answered on the next brake, after a few seconds.

"Jack you're American. That doesn't even make sense."

"It's a long story." Jack waited for the next brake to continue. "My grandfather always had a dream of one day retiring and going to live on Spain, so he would fill my dad's head with tales and dreams about Spain. He loved Spain so much that he called my dad Enrique! But his dream never came true. He was unable to leave everything behind and run to Spain. His whole life was in America. Anyway, my father eventually fell in love with the country too and he told me a lot about it when I was young. So now, when I'm not cheering for America, I'm supporting Spain."

"Never could imagine… How could he lose that point?" Ennis said when Federer made another unforced error.

The game continued with the clear advantage of Nadal, who eventually won the set. And when Nadal fall on the ground celebrating the victory, Ennis wasted no time and crashed his lips against Jack's, giving the price the blue eyed man deserved.

"You were right. Victory is so sweet." Jack said when they finally stopped kissing and Ennis couldn't control the laugh that took control of his body.

* * *

A few minutes later, Jack and Ennis were walking, hand in hand, by the Quail Branly. It was Saturday afternoon so there were some other couples making the same journey. Ennis, who had never been in Paris before, was surprised with the beauty of the river Seine and its notorious bridges. 

"I really think the Alexandre III Bridge is my favorite." Ennis said remembering the golden statues and the beautiful architecture of the bridge.

"It's my favorite too. Did I tell you the statues are painted in gold? When I was a kid my grandmother used to show me the most beautiful monuments and buildings in the world and tell me the story behind their construction. A wonderful woman, History teacher." Jack was surprised to find Ennis's arm moving around his waist.

"I love when you're in this mood." Ennis said smiling.

"What mood?" Jack questioned raising a eyebrow.

"Happy and recalling childhood memories." Ennis said, pulling him closer.

"You're crazy but I'm going to tell you something else that I always found funny. Do you see the boats? They're called Bateaux Mouches."

"Bateaux Mouches? Doesn't that mean fly boats?"

"French people think they look like flies."

"And I'm the crazy one." Ennis paused near another bridge and pulled Jack to come with him.

"We can't walk through. We'll be getting a taxi soon. Our plane is flying in less than an hour."

"We should stay." Ennis said when they stopped in the middle of the bridge observing the Seine, arms resting on the stone and their bodies leaning forward.

"I can't, and we promised to have dinner with Elizabeth and Mary. But…" Jack rested his chin on Ennis shoulder. "We have the weekend after this case. I promise it's going to be great. We can stay in my house and see the Chanps-élyséees, the Eiffel tower, even the Disney resort if you like."

"You have a house here?" Ennis was surprised.

"Yeah, it's in the Le Marias district. It's on the right bank of the Seine. Traditionally it was a bourgeois area, so some of the buildings are very old and extremely beautiful. It's also famous for being a well-known gay neighbourhood."

"You have a house in a gay neighbourhood in Paris?" Ennis said shocking his head.

"I was younger and I wanted to see my dad's face when I told him about it. And it's a very nice place, only with more homosexual people than usual."

"You know Jack…" Ennis looked at him resting in his shoulder. "This is what scares me the most about us. Your money and everything that being gay means to you. I feel like I'll never feel totally comfortable with both. Like I'll never be what you need and deserve in a partner."

There was an intense silence between them and Ennis feared the truth would break the happiness he had been feeling just a few minutes before. If he was someone else, he could have come out with different words but the truth is always stronger than the lie. Ennis knew it and he couldn't fight if what he felt was right.

"Being able to confess that to me just proved you to be wrong Ennis." Jack eyes were shining with tears and their mouths met in the most passionate of all their public kisses.

* * *

**Author: **_Like it is getting usual, as soon as I get enough reviews I'll post another chapter. So it's up to you dear reader! _

_**On the next chapter:**__ Uncle Daniel brings a possible problem with him, leaving the suspense in the air! Jack and Ennis finally met Sophie. _


	16. We're all family

**_Author's Note:_** _Thank you so very much for my friend _Kathy **(kittie8571),**_ who is the Beta of this story!_

_Thank you everybody for the reviews! Especially to _**Ania,** **ann-sue,** **WCUGirl **_and _**I Hate Monday.**

* * *

**Chapter Sixteen: We're all family **

Jack arrived at the Smith's Club feeling extremely tired. He hadn't slept well on the flight back and the fact that he hadn't had any sleep the previous night wasn't helping much. He finally noticed a couple of well-known faces waving at him and he quickly waved back. This was the reason why he usually didn't come to the club alone. Everyone at the club, from the staff to members, knew him and some of them had the most embarrassing memories about his teenager adventures. He made a mental note never to take Ennis to the Club.

"Good to see you son." Uncle Daniel was walking in his direction looking as usual. When Jack was younger, Uncle Daniel's red hair had been a mystery and a secret passion. It was so different, so bright, he had wanted to have red hair too. Now, looking at his uncle's hair, he couldn't help but smile, it was still different but he was definitely happier with his black hair.

"Good to see you too, Uncle Daniel." Jack said hugging the large man. "Have you lost some weight?"

"I'm on a new diet. My doctor scared me to death with a talk about heart diseases and the number of deaths of obese people. A pretty nice lady anyway." Uncle Daniel raised an eyebrow and they moved in the direction of the café.

"She was right. I've told you so myself a thousand times." Jack said, sitting on one of the small chairs and literally dropping his arms on the table.

"You don't look so good son. Has something happened?" Uncle Daniel asked sitting in the chair in front of him.

"Not really. I've just arrived from France and I didn't sleep much."

"France? Was it a business trip?"

"No. Far from it, I went to see the final of the Roland Garros."

"I see, Paris. Let me guess, in the company of Ennis Del Mar."

"Dad told you, didn't he?" Jack asked feeling a bit irritated.

"Yes. He didn't seem to like the guy much. I can't have an opinion since I haven't had the pleasure of meeting him in person."

"You will, at the right time. And Dad should stop interfering in my life. He never acted like this before."

"You know, it's because of your dad that I asked you to come here today." Uncle Daniel said seriously. They were interrupted by the waitress who brought them a complete and delicious breakfast. "Your father has had me worried for quite a long time."

"What do you mean?" Jack was getting slightly worried.

"I don't know exactly what's happening, that's why I called you. Haven't you noticed anything strange about him?"

"We haven't been talking much lately. I'm working on a big case and every time we talk, he has something unpleasant to say about Ennis. He liked him a lot before he knew we were dating, so it doesn't make any sense. And there were other strange attitudes too." Jack said, remembering the fact that he didn't seem to care about Frederic's actions involving his own son. "Sometimes he's overprotective, other times he acts like he doesn't care."

"I've noticed some mood swings too and strange behavior. But I'm more worried about the fact that he seems to be tired all the time. Do you have any idea of what's happening?"

"I don't know and I'm feeling terrible for not noticing this before." Jack said shaking his head and closing his eyes to think.

"Son?" Uncle Daniel said putting a hand on his shoulder. "We're not even sure of what's happening. It could be anything. I'm thinking it might be some serious problem he doesn't want to talk about with anyone. Is quite typical of your father."

"I'll talk to him this week."

"No. You need to focus on your work. I'll talk to him."

"Thank you Uncle Daniel." Jack smiled, and tried hard to eat the pancakes on his plate but his mind was now on something else.

"No need for that between us." After another sausage, Uncle Daniel spoke again. "Maybe we should play only tennis. I want you to go home and a have a nice nap. Don't think much about it son. You know your father, he likes to keep his secrets and problems all to himself. We'll find a way to help him whether he wants it or not."

Jack nodded to his uncle and ate another piece of the pancake.

* * *

Ennis was standing outside Jack's door facing a bit of a dilemma. Was he supposed to knock on the door or should he use his own new key? Two minutes later and Ennis still was looking at the small modern silver key standing in the palm of his hand. When suddenly an old woman appeared from a door on the end of the hall and Ennis, embarrassed to be seen standing in front of the door, decided to enter using his key. 

The apartment was silent, with the exception of the living room, where the low sounds of commercials were coming from the television. Ennis followed the sounds, noticing that Jack wasn't in any other room. The door wasn't totally closed, so Ennis could see the light of the television coming out of the living room, changing quickly of intensity and color. Opening the door, Ennis was present with the view he had expected. Lying on the sofa, soundly asleep, was Jack, still holding the remote with his right hand and using his left arm as a pillow.

Ennis took his coat and placed it on the small couch near the sofa, looking at the pictures of American forests. He would never approve such an odd decoration. Jack's idea for sure, he thought, kneeling near the sofa where Jack was still sleeping.

That Jack was the picture of a perfect angel when he's asleep wasn't a surprise to Ennis. He had found that out the first night he had woken up next to him. The blue eyes were hidden and the face showed an expression of peace and happiness. Ennis felt his heart melting with unexpected contentment.

It was frightening to think that in less than 4 months, he had fall madly in love with this man. That he could feel so much for someone who could easily break his heart in tiny pieces scared him to death. More amazing to him than anything else was the fact that Jack loved him back just as much. And nothing else mattered, as long as they loved each other.

"Jack, baby." Ennis whispered in Jack's ear, caressing his belly.

"Hmm." It was all that Jack said, rolling away from Ennis' hand and laying on his stomach.

"Jack. We need to be at Elizabeth's in half an hour." All Jack did was snore a little.

"Baby, you need to wake up." This time, Ennis decided to put his hand on Jack's ass, squeezing it a bit.

In a flash, Jack jumped off the sofa, looking surprised and scared for a minute. Only when Ennis started laugh hard on the floor did Jack sit back on the sofa.

"Ennis, do you think that's a way to wake somebody up?" Jack said, a little annoyed.

"Sorry baby. I tried the nice way, believe me." Ennis said, trying to hug Jack, who was trying to avoid Ennis's arms. "I didn't want to scare you. Actually I forgot you thought you were sleeping alone."

"Imagine my surprise being awakened by some stranger with a hand on my ass." Jack murmured still sleepy and annoyed.

"Sorry." Ennis said, holding him close and caressing his hair. Jack finally gave up and rested his head on Ennis's shoulder.

"You scared the hell out of me. And where's my kiss?" Jack whispered, sounding like a five year old child.

"Anything for my sleeping beauty." Ennis whispered back, kissing his boyfriend slowly but passionately.

"Now I'm definitely awake." Jack said when they stopped to breathe, while his hands drew small circles on Ennis's back.

"I hate to be the one breaking the moment but we really need to go. Are you ready?"

"I need to fix my hair and maybe pick another sweater."

"Ok. Go on. I'll wait here for you."

"I'll be ready in a second." Jack gave Ennis a quick kiss and ran in the direction of his bedroom.

Ennis picked up a random magazine from the table in front of the sofa. He had had an excellent day so far. In the morning, he went shopping with Veronica. He was surprised to find out that some feminine help could actually come in handy. Veronica was a modern woman with a remarkable sense of fashion and Ennis didn't like some of Veronica's ideas. Wearing something purple or buying pink sneakers were definitely not an option to Ennis Del Mar. Nevertheless, he liked some other ideas about the clothes he usually wore outside the firm and court. The clothes he bought today made him feel confident, but at the same time, relaxed. Just what he had needed.

After a quick lunch alone at the mall, since Veronica went to work at the hospital, Ennis took Neve to the vet. It was only a few blocks away from his apartment and the veterinarian was a nice French man who called all his clients "petit cherie". Ennis had a few laughs with the nice man and was happy to find out that Neve was growing as was expected, without any complications. He wondered if Jack would like to come with him for the next vet appointment or if it was pathetic to ask him about it.

He was still wondering about it when the sound of the outside door being opened brought him back to reality. He didn't know who to expect, but the first name that appeared in his mind was Enrique Twist and he couldn't remember a worst possible scenario. So when he saw a middle aged woman entering through the door he felt relived. She was clearly Mexican and by the way she walked, anyone could see there was something wrong with her right foot. That was when he realized that her right leg was shorter than the left one. Ennis had no doubt it was Matilda, the famous Mexican maid.

"Hi." She looked at him for a few seconds. "You're Ennis." She smiled.

"Yes I am. I believe you're the famous Matilda." Ennis put his hand out for a handshake but Matilda moved closer and hugged him.

"It's a pleasure to meet you. Jack talks so much about you."

"I'm sure not everything is true." Ennis smiled.

"I'm sure that at least a small part is true."

"Jack is too good to me." It was then that Jack entered the room.

"I see she had found you." He smiled and also hugged Matilda. "How are you?"

"Fine. And you dear? The trip was nice?"

"Yes. Fantastic! One of these days you're coming with us."

"My dear, you know I'm afraid to fly. No way are you going to convince me otherwise."

"We'll see. We're going to have a snack and probably dinner too at Elizabeth's house."

"I'll make something light. If you don't come for dinner, you can eat it tomorrow at the firm. Maybe some sandwiches."

"Ok. See you tomorrow. Remind me later that we need to talk about Uncle Daniel. Don't worry -- it's not anything serious."

"Ok my dear. Goodbye Ennis. It was a pleasure. Next time we need to talk more."

"I would be delighted."

"We need to go. Bye Matilda." Jack said, hugging her again.

"Bye Mrs…" Ennis stopped he couldn't remember the surname,

"No Mrs. for you. It's also Matilda." And she hugged him again.

When they were on the elevator Jack leaned against Ennis. He was still sleepy and his body didn't want to move.

"I'm hungry." Jack said sounding like a five year old again.

"Did you know that you sound like a demanding child when you're sleepy or annoyed?"

"I know and I also know you find it cute."

"You think you have me in the palm of your hand, don't you baby?" Ennis put his arm around Jack's waist and kissed his forehead.

When they entered Ennis's car and Jack still hadn't said a word, Ennis began to feel that there was something bothering Jack. Not only was he sleepy and hungry, there was also something else.

"What it is?" Ennis asked when the uncommon silence began to concern him.

"It's my father, Ennis." Jack finally said and Ennis felt his heart skip a beat. He was even afraid to ask more about it.

"What it is about him?" Ennis finally asked, afraid to hear the answer.

"My uncle and I had a talk about him and it got me worried. But don't worry it's only weird possibilities. Family concerns, you know… "

"I want you to talk to me if you feel like you need it. I'm here for you." Ennis stated, understanding the meaning behind Jack's words. He didn't like Enrique Twist but he was, after all, Jack's father.

"I know honey. I'll remember it."

"Good."

"Talking about family. Ennis, did I ever tell you about my best friend?"

"The reporter one?"

"You mean photographer?"

"Yes, in the National Geographic magazine, isn't it?"

"Yeah, he's thinking about coming to New York for a visit."

"Sounds great. I'm quite eager to meet him. He sounds pretty cool."

"He's the closet thing I have to a brother. He didn't tell me the reason for the visit but I have a feeling he's going to marry or something."

"Why? Is he bringing someone?"

"No, he didn't mention anything about it. I guess I just have a feeling."

"I understand. You would love to see him settled and happy. But being a photographer for a magazine like National Geographic surely didn't help at all."

"You're right. That and being heterosexual." Ennis laughed hard at the way Jack had said it. It was almost as if _not_ being gay was the worst fault his best friend could possibly have.

* * *

When they arrived at Elizabeth's house, Jack was sound asleep. Ennis and Jack had talked some more about Robert, Jack's best friend, but after a while, Jack had stopped answering Ennis's questions and soon the blond man found out that his boyfriend had fallen asleep. Head against the glass window and his hands resting in his lap, making, what Ennis thought was an adorable snore. Ennis wondered how much longer it would take until it becomes annoying. 

"Jack we've arrived. Wake up baby." Ennis caressed Jack's neck with his right hand and this time the small movement was enough to wake up Jack.

"Hmm. Are we there yet?"

"Yes. We're there. Come on, they must be waiting for us inside."

Jack stretched his arm muscles and stood out of the car. He looked around and found Ennis taking a box out of the luggage rack.

"What's that?" he asked looking at the box while he and Ennis move to the door.

"It's a present for Sophie. But it wasn't really my idea. I went shopping with Veronica this morning and we were talking about Sophie and she told me we should bring her a present."

"She was right. I wonder why I haven't thought about it myself."

"You were too tired and this is our present, so no worries."

"What did you buy?" Jack asked feeling curious.

"I bought her a toy that makes animals sounds, actually it's a little farm."

"Sounds nice but then I have absolutely no idea what's an appropriate gift for a six month old baby."

"The lady from the shop told me it was suitable. Don't worry." Ennis winked at Jack and he knew he had thought about everything.

Ennis gave Jack the present and knocked at the door. Jack would never understand why Ennis would always avoid using bells. It was a detail of Ennis behaviour that Jack couldn't help but notice. A few seconds later, Monique stood in front of them, opening the door with the elegance of a royal family member.

"Good afternoon gentlemen. May I take your overcoats?" Ennis couldn't help but stare a little at the woman before taking his coat off. There was something about Monique that made him feel uncomfortable. Maybe it was because she closely resembled the headmaster of his elementary school.

"Thank you. Jack? Would you be so kind as to lead Ennis to the living room? Elizabeth is already waiting for both of you. If you'll excuse me, I have a dinner to supervise." She said, leaving the wall with their overcoats.

"She makes me nervous." Ennis confessed when the woman was gone.

"I've noticed." Jack whispered as they arrived at the living room, where Elizabeth was seated on the big sofa with Sophie on her lap. They exchanged their "hellos" and it wasn't long until Jack had Sophie on his lap and Ennis stood closely watching the baby.

Sophie looked like her mother. The small amount of hair in her head was black and her green eyes were only slightly darker than Mary's. She was a lovely baby that would laugh at every single one of Jack's diversions and would open her big eyes to the deep voice of Ennis.

"Where's Mary? I thought she would be here." Jack said cradling Sophie.

"She was here a few minutes after you arrived. One of her important clients called her saying he needed a favor. She went to her office." They all knew what a detective's favor was. Classified information about a very sensitive issue was in order.

"Elizabeth, you're very lucky. Sophie is an adorable baby. I hope you'll let me babysit her."

"I have thought of no one else, except Monique and a few of Mary's friends."

"I knew it would be a long list."

"About that Jack, I have something to ask you." Elizabeth smiled. "Do you want to be my best man?"

"Oh God, are you serious?" Jack stared at her in wide-eyed amazement and Ennis used the moment to pull Sophie to his lap.

"Of course." Elizabeth said, opening her arms for the upcoming hug.

"Thank you Beth. It's an honour." Jack said hugging her and trying hard not to cry.

At that precise moment Mary Bingley entered the living room. Her hair was a bit wet because of the rain that had just started to fall and her face showed an amused smile.

"Ie leave you for half an hour and you're already taking advantage on defenseless gay men. What am I going to do with you?" Mary said, throwing her trench coat on the closer chair.

"I'm not defenseless!" Jack said struggling to regain some dignity.

"Next to Eliza you sure are." She said sitting on a chair next to Ennis. She looked at Ennis and whispered a polite hello.

"I guess someone forgot how many times she's lost against the "defenseless" Jack."

"Jack you should know I'm not good at girl games. Came on? Tennis and golf?" Mary laughed.

"You call tennis a girl game? What is a male game then?"

"Rugby, soccer, basketball, baseball and list goes on and on."

"Those are all collective games!"

"Are they always like this?" Ennis asked to Elizabeth who as watching everything with a smile.

"Exactly as I remembered it."

"I'm very sorry to interrupt your little dispute but we have a present to give, don't we Jack?"

"Yes we do." Jack picked the box from the floor where it was lying at the left of Elizabeth. "Hope Sophie will like it."

Mary took Sophie from Ennis's lap and sat the baby next to Elizabeth and the big present. Elizabeth took of the paper and the box with the picture of the little farm began visible.

"Oh God, another noisy toy. I swear I'm going mental with them." Mary said passing a hand through her hair.

"Mary!" Elizabeth glared at her fiancé annoyed with the remark. Ennis laughed. He was beginning to like Mary's personality. She was frank and honest. In Ennis's opinion, those were two of the best qualities anyone could have. On the other side, Jack was furious with the comment of the present Ennis had so carefully picked.

"I'm sorry guys, it's just everyone got the same idea. She's six months old and at this age sounds and colours are important, I understand. I'm just tired of hearing the damn sounds all the time." Mary said trying to make emends, more for Elizabeth's sake then anything else.

"It's ok. We understand. Come on Elizabeth, we're friends, there's no need for Mary not to be completely honest. Next time we'll think about something silent." Ennis said smiling, but Jack was still glaring at Mary.

"You're right, Ennis. And you Jack should know that Mary didn't mean any offense."

"Of course not." Mary said picking Sophie. "And to prove that we're going to play with it right now. Do you want to play my love?" The baby made a happy noise and Mary smiled. She placed both, the baby and the toy, next to each other on the floor. "And Jack is going to show how fun it is!" She said smirking at him.

Jack quickly sat on the floor showing the baby how to make the small animals produced the different sounds. Sophie watched him for almost two minutes. After that she started to punch all the animals at the same time and after five minutes of nosy playing Jack was already tired of the exasperating sounds. In the exact moment that Jack rolled his eyes completely annoyed, Mary looked at him and he could see the expression "I told you so" all over her face.

God how annoying the woman can be, he thought. And the laugh of Elizabeth and Ennis filled the room.

* * *

**Author:** _I'm thinking about posting again on Wednesday but if a get _**_55 _**_reviews, I'll post it sooner. I don't want to be mean but I really need you're feedback on the latest chapters. (Was it because of all the fluff?) So it's up to you dear reader!_

**On the next chapter:** _We're back to the Thurston's case. An old time colleague of Ennis brings new revelations to the case and also gives us another glance of Ennis' past. Helen comes out with a surprise of her own to Ennis. Jack finally discovers Enrique's menaces to his boyfriend. But what it is the reason for this strange behaviour? I guarantee you, the revelations are only beginning! _


	17. Back to the case

**_Author's Note:_** _Thank you so very much for my friend _Kathy**kittie8571**_) who is the Beta of this story! _

_Thank you everybody for the reviews! Especially to _**Jada91****kayjake**, **lynny**, **Ana** _and _**Lady Xondra Bloodless**.

* * *

**Chapter Seventeen: Back to the case **

As he approached his office, Ennis smiled at Mrs. Campbell. After the amazing weekend he had, he couldn't help but to feel more than happy. In fact, he felt stupendous!

"What a wonderful morning, don't you think Mrs. Campbell?"

"Yes, Mr. Del Mar, truly wonderful." The older woman said, not looking even a bit influenced by Ennis's mood.

"Oh Mrs. Campbell, I'm sure there are plenty of reasons for a fine lady as yourself to be happy."

"I fail to see it Mr. Del Mar." Mr. Campbell said, looking up from her glasses.

"I will not force my mood on my secretary. I believe to be a better gentleman than that," Ennis said smiling. His secretary smiled too, but only a little.

"Now then, if you could tell me what news you have, that would be great. But let's start with today's schedule," Ennis said, moving closer to Mrs. Campbell.

"Well Mr. Del Mar, first we have the meeting between the Thurston's at 10 am. After lunch you'll attend a meeting with Miss Carrilho and all the other lawyers of the group. After that, around 5 pm, there will be a meeting between the heads of the two groups and Mr. Twist. In other words, you, Mr. Jack, and Mr. Twist at 5 pm, in Mr. Twist's office."

She paused, giving him a post-it note with the three important meetings written with big circles. "We have these new files that just arrived from your source on the M.P."

"And someone called for you late Friday afternoon. Some lawyer named Tomas Neill. He left a number so that you could call him back. He said it was an issue of extreme importance." The older woman gave him another post-it note and a black folder.

"Thank you, Mrs. Campbell." Ennis said trying to remember why the name Tomas Neill sounded so familiar.

Ennis entered his office and stuck his post-its on his laptop. That was when he remembered -- Tomas Neill had worked with him a few years ago when he was working for a firm in North Carolina.

Looking back now, it felt like an eternity ago, when he was still an unknown lawyer, trying desperately to find the chance that would eventually gave him the success he was so sure to deserve. He had worked for a few years in many Texas and Arkansas' firms but when the Global Firm in North Carolina offered him a position, he understood it was a step up in his career.

So, he moved to Raleigh, selling almost everything he owned in Texas with the exception of the old ranch. He thought hard about it, but he just didn't have the strength to sell his parents' most precious dream. So, now miles and miles away, two old Texan men keep the ranch working, almost paying their own salary with their work. Ennis would sometimes send them more money or one of them would send Ennis a letter with the developments of the ranch, but usually Ennis would avoid thinking about that old place. It was filled with too many memories. Memories that he couldn't forget but that he could avoid remembering.

Raleigh was a very nice city, with moderate weather, but hot summers. Ennis liked the firm where he was working and he'd made a few friends and many acquaintances. One of those acquaintances had been Tomas Neill. He didn't have a clear mental image of the older man but he was quite sure that, back then, he was bald and had a small moustache.

He was still wondering about it when Helen entered his office, bringing a few folders and files with her. Ennis looked up at her and made a small smile.

"Good morning Ennis."

"Good morning Helen. How was your weekend?"

"All right I think, and yours?"

"Excellent."

"Did you go to Elizabeth's party on Friday night?" She asked sitting on the chair right in front of Ennis's desk.

"But of course, I'm her godson. Didn't you go? I don't remember seeing you at the party."

"No I couldn't. My sister got a horrible virus and I stayed with her."

"I believe you heard the news anyway." Ennis said, raising his eyebrows to Helen.

"Yes, much unexpected. I've worked here for some time and Mary is an excellent detective. She's also one of the strongest women I've ever met, in every sense of the word. A good match for a woman like Elizabeth."

"You're right, Mary is an impressive woman." Ennis said, reading the file that his source on the M.P. had sent him. It was a detailed list of all the transfers of the Thurston's bank account in the last three years. As he analyzed the different amounts of money and the small note his source had sent, he noticed Helen's eyes observing him. It was a perturbing feeling and he was happy when the brunette woman finally spoke.

"Are we ready for the meeting with Mathew Thurston?"

"Last time I checked, Danielle Thurston was completely sure she wanted to take the case to the court."

"And if she loses her determination? She's finally going to face her husband. She might change her mind."

"In that case, we show her one of those e-mails we have in our hands. We need this in court, Helen, and you need to convince her that the deal is the worst possible conclusion."

"I know that, Ennis, but women can be extremely sentimental, sometimes totally irrational in these situations."

"No woman is stupid enough to let a man get away with everything after he cheated on her with her best friend." Ennis said a little too harsh than necessary. He felt bad immediately. "Sorry, it's just Danielle is definitely our weakness. I need to know you can deal with her."

"I'm doing my best."

"I guess I can't ask for more." Ennis said smiling and Helen smiled back.

* * *

Ennis was silent observing the small developments of the meeting. From time to time, Mathew Thurston would try to speak directly to his wife and the woman would burst into tears. Jack had given her a deal, ready to be signed, offering her a large amount of money and the custody of their son if she kept the divorce silent for another year. Ennis observed Danielle exchanging glances with Helen and after a few minutes she denied the deal. The look on Frederic's face was priceless. 

"Danielle, you're ruining my chances of ever becoming a senator." Mathew said, becoming angrier by the minute.

"You ruined those chances when you decided to be unfaithful to your wife and your family." Danielle answered between sobs.

"What do you want now? Destroy my life? Our family name?"

"Mr. Thurston." Frederic said putting a hand on the other man shoulder, trying to silence what could have made everything even worse. Ennis remained silent. He hated this part of the divorces. When the love is gone and the lovers become strangers, all that's left it's a sad and pathetic display of hurt.

"Mrs. Thurston, this is a very good deal. You do know how important Mr. Thurston's public image is." Jack said, looking at Helen. Ennis wondered if the woman would know how to resist to those perfect blue eyes.

"Mr. Twist, I understand you position, but we're well aware of the situation in this divorce. And half of everything wouldn't be enough…"

"How can you do this to me? At least think about our son." Mathew said to Danielle.

"Think about my son? Did you think about him when you were in bed with that whore? Did you think about him when you decided to become senator? I don't think so! And perhaps now it's the time for someone to start thinking about him." Danielle stood up from her chair surprising everyone in the room, especially Ennis. "This divorce is going public! And in the end I will make sure that all the money our son disserves is not wasted in your hands. Because I do think about him!" And with that last statement, the black haired woman left the room, quickly followed by Helen.

Ennis stayed behind. He was completely surprised by Danielle's actions. He looked around to find that Frederic was unhappy with the abrupt end to the meeting, but Jack didn't seem surprised at all.

"Well, I guess this makes things completely different. Divorce proceedings will start as soon as possible. You'll have news from me soon, Mr. Thurston." Ennis said, trying not to sound pleased and shook the man's hand firmly. After leaving the room, he silently waved goodbye to Jack, who looked slightly worried.

When he arrived at his office, Helen was alone and Ennis wondered if Danielle had scared the young lawyer away.

"Helen? Where's Mrs. Thurston?" He asked sitting on the small sofa of his office.

"She needed some time to cool off. I sent her back to the hotel in a taxi. She was in no condition to talk with anyone." Helen was seated on Ennis's chair, behind the desk.

"What did you do? 'Cause that woman _couldn't_ be the sweet and sensible Danielle Thurston I had a conversation with a few days ago."

"You were right, Ennis. She needed to know a bit more about her husband to do what we needed."

"You showed her some of the e-mails?" Ennis asked out of curiosity.

"I didn't need to. I had a woman- to- woman conversation."

"Very good. She will be pleased in the end." Ennis said smiling. "Now, if you could excuse me, I need to make some important calls."

"Don't you need to have lunch?"

"I'll ask Mrs. Campbell for a sandwich. She doesn't mind doing me the favor."

"Ok." Helen said and Ennis thought for a moment that she looked disappointed, but his mind was already focused on calling Mr. Santos and his old colleague, Tomas Neill.

* * *

Ennis was patiently waiting for Mr. Jack and Mr. Twist to arrive. Jack and Enrique were slightly late and Ennis was using his time to ingrain every little detail of the surprising conversation with Tomas Neill into his brain 

Ennis hadn't been the only one to make drastic changes in his life. Tomas had also left the Global Firm a few years ago to work in another state. He was now working for the M.P. office in North Dakota. But he hadn't phoned to renew the acquaintanceship. Tomas Neill had assured him he had interesting information related to the Thurston's case but what he needed was a deal. In exchange for that information, Ennis would have to give him access to the e-mails shared between Mr. Thurston and Julian Reyes. Ennis was forced to agree, especially considering this was collaboration with the M.P. office. Anyway, he was extremely curious as to what the other man knew and why would he wanted access to the e-mails.

He was still muttering about it when Jack and Enrique entered in the room.

"Good evening Ennis" Enrique said, sitting at his desk, not even looking at him.

"Hi honey." Jack said, surprising Ennis, who almost jumped from his chair. Jack would never call him that in the firm, unless they were alone or in the company of Elizabeth. He looked again at Jack and he made a very small smile. He was doing this on propose, he thought, probably because of Enrique Twist. Ennis didn't know if this was a good thing or if Enrique would blame him for Jack's attitude.

"Good evening." Ennis finally managed to say.

"Well this should be very short. I just want to know how the meeting went and if there's anything else you may need." Ennis looked at Enrique Twist. The man looked slightly pale and his eyes looked tired. He was glaring at Jack from time to time.

"As expected, it didn't go well. Danielle is determined to take the divorce to court and today she made sure it was going to be public. I'm afraid I can do anything to stop her." Ennis said seriously.

"Of course Mathew Thurston is unhappy with this situation, but there was absolutely nothing we could do. We have predicted this situation, so a big part of the work we need to do for the defense is already done." Jack said nervously.

"I thought we'd be in this situation by now. From now on it's all about you guys and the evidence you're going to present in court. I want one of your clients extremely happy, since the other is obviously going to be unhappy no matter what." Jack and Ennis nodded at this. "Is there anything either of you need from me?"

"No, my team is complete." Ennis said.

"Mine too."

"The meetings with me are obviously going to be separate from now on. I still want regular updates."

"Obviously." Jack said putting his hand on Ennis arm. Enrique glared at him again and after a cool goodbye, he was out of his office, leaving Jack and Ennis alone.

"What were you doing?" Ennis asked as soon as the door closed.

"Believe me, he deserved it." Jack said annoyed.

"It doesn't matter if he deserved it or not. He's your father, our boss. We can't act like that in front of him." Ennis was silently thinking that the man that obviously hated him didn't need to see both of them flirting in the middle of his office.

"I know you're right, but I was furious with him. He keeps commenting on my life like I'm five years old again. He didn't used to be like this. I'm sick and tired of his attitude." Jack was furious and Ennis knew that he didn't even suspect that this whole Thurston case had been Enrique's plan.

"He loves you and he's somehow afraid you're going to be hurt." Ennis said, wondering why he was defending the man.

"He told you something, didn't he?" Jack said looking at Ennis right in the eyes. Ennis didn't say a word. He couldn't tell him the truth. It would hurt Jack too much and by now he was already suspecting that something wasn't right with Enrique Twist.

"You don't need to say anything." Jack said this time in a normal tone, but he looked hurt and disappointed.

"Jack, calm down. Let's go talk with Helen and Frederic about this meeting with Enrique. We'll leave early and in a couple of hours, we'll be at my house. Then we can talk about this, ok?" Ennis caressed Jack's cheek and leaned down to give him a kiss. Ennis felt Jack's arms around him and in a natural impulse, he hugged his boyfriend.

"Ennis, no matter what, promise me we'll stick together." It was almost a whisper but Jack was sure Ennis had heard him.

"I promise, baby." Ennis whispered in Jack's ear, and with another kiss, they went to their separate offices.

Ennis sat on his chair thinking. There was something wrong with Enrique Twist, something that Jack hadn't told him yet and that was probably the reason why Enrique didn't approve of Jack's relationship. Ennis wondered if he was sick. He didn't look so good.

His thoughts were interrupted by Helen, who chose that moment to enter in Ennis's office.

"Didn't the meeting go well?" She asked standing in front of Ennis' desk.

"Yes it was a very predictable meeting. Nothing new really. I believe from now on the meetings with Enrique are going to be separated."

"It was expected. Are you still wondering about Tom Neill's deal?"

"Of course I'm still thinking about it. You have to admit it's quite an enigma."

"You've scheduled a meeting with him?"

"Yes tomorrow evening. He's coming to New York just to get these e-mails."

"How could he have found out about them?"

"He told me he was sure of the existence of these e-mails, he just wasn't sure if we had been able to open them."

"You're aware he's going to press us into exposing this situation."

"As soon as this goes to court we're going to finish with Mathew Thurston. I'm already tired of this case." Ennis said picking his briefcase from the floor. "Actually I'm finishing for today. I'm going home."

"You're right, we had a busy day." She moved closer to the door and when Ennis was reaching for the handle Helen spoke again. "You know Ennis it's still early we could go and have some drinks. I know a really nice place."

Ennis froze in the place. Helen wasn't using a seductive tone but by the way she was looking at the floor it was obviously this wasn't an invitation without second intentions. He hadn't expected this situation with Helen. Actually he had been nothing but friendly and supportive for her.

"Helen, I'm sorry, but I can't."

"I understand we're colleagues and…" She sounded hurt and Ennis was even more surprised.

"It's not that, Helen." Ennis took a deep breath. "I'm with Jack."

"With Jack?" She looked at him surprised. Ennis was astonished. How could she not know, he wondered.

"Yes, with Jack Twist."

"You're gay? I guess I didn't see this one coming." Helen moved away from the door.

"I'm sorry, Helen. I'm sorry if I gave you any wrong impressions but I was just trying to be kind."

"I know Ennis. You're a nice guy and Jack is very lucky." She looked at him with a sad smile. "Sorry for the pathetic episode. I'll see you tomorrow."

In less than a minute, Helen was gone from the office. Ennis stayed in his office for a few more minutes thinking how he hadn't predicted this situation.

How blind could he have been?

* * *

Jack was feeling frustrated with the terrible day he had so far. Nothing seemed to go as planned. Everything seemed to be out of control and he just wanted to enjoy some time alone with his boyfriend. 

He was leaving the elevator when he saw her. A brunette woman just leaving her apartment carrying a huge bag with her. Jack look at her once more and their eyes met. He was almost sure it was Veronica. The woman made a small smile and all Jack's doubts were gone.

"Jack?" She questioned smiling.

"I knew it. Veronica right?"

"Yes it's me. It's pleasure to finally be able to talk with the famous Jack Twist."

"Thank you. I've heard a lot about you too. Ennis praises your friendship a lot."

"Ennis was right -- you're good with words." She looked at her silver watch, worried. "I'm very sorry, Jack, but I'm going to the hospital and I'm already late."

"Oh, I'm sorry to take your time. I hope next time we can all have dinner together. It was a pleasure to meet you."

"Pleasure talking to you Jack. Bye."

"Bye." Jack said, waving his hand to Veronica.

Jack stayed still looking at the elevator where Veronica had quickly disappeared. He didn't know why but since the beginning he had a good impression about Veronica. She was a very good friend do Ennis and Jack knew that his boyfriend needed her.

Jack was still looking at the elevator when he decided to finally to ring the bell. A few minutes later, Ennis appeared in front of the doorway.

"Hi baby. Feeling better?" Ennis asked entering, pushing Jack inside the apartment.

"A little." Jack said hugging him. Neve was on the floor looking at them curiously. Jack kneeled down and patted him a little.

"Did you eat anything?" Ennis asked, taking Jack to the living room.

"Actually, no."

"Then come with me. Lucia has made her speciality. Tuna quiche."

"Tuna quiche?" Jack asked, sitting in the table.

"With some salad."

"Thanks." Jack said when Ennis placed the plates in the table.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Ennis asked after a few minutes of comfortable silence. The previous talk in the firm was constantly repeating in his mind, and he was worried about Jack.

"It's my father obviously." Jack said looking at Ennis. "I've told you he's been acting weird lately. But it's not only that. Uncle Daniel told me he thinks something is happening with him, something that's making him act this way."

"Something?"

"Uncle Daniel suspects that it might be some personal problem or maybe problems in the firm. I'm not convinced."

"Jack you don't even know what the problem is. You need to focus on the important things. Your father may need your help. Don't worry about something you don't know and that it is out of your control."

"Yes but what can I do to help him?"

"I think you should talk to him. Let him know you're worried and that you're there in case he needs you."

"I've tried to talk to him numerous times. All he says is that I should be thinking about my life. He wants me to be a major part in the management of the firm but I hate numbers and that's his job. He wants me to settle down but then he doesn't look too happy with me being with you. He keeps saying he wants to spend more time with me but then all he does is argue with me about the stupidest things." Jack has holding his head in his hands.

"Jack, about you and me, your father is only afraid that I may hurt you. It's a natural thing for a father to be protective about his only son."

"Yes but it's not natural to do all of this behind my back." Jack looked at Ennis again. "Ennis please tell me, what did he tell you?"

"Jack, please, this is not going to help anything." Ennis said looking away.

"Please Ennis I want to know. I feel like I need to know as your boyfriend." Jack pleaded with his eyes shining with upcoming tears.

"Jack, I didn't tell you before because I didn't want you to be hurt. Didn't want to see you argue with your father, but if you really want to know, it wasn't that big of a deal. He simply made it clear that he didn't approve of me as your boyfriend and that he would keep his eyes on me." There was a deep silence between them again.

"This whole pairing in the Thurston case was my father's work, wasn't it?" Jack said looking at Ennis.

"I don't know, Jack. No one knows for sure." Ennis said trying to sound as truthful as possible.

"You don't need to say anything." Jack shook his head. "I don't know what's wrong with him, but this man I've been seeing lately is not my father." Jack sounded desperate and Ennis felt guilty in his heart.

"Jack, I'm sorry. I should have told you long ago, but it was all so new between us, the last thing we needed was the disapproval of your father. I thought he would somehow change his mind. I'm so sorry, baby." Ennis got up and went next to Jack, squatting next to his chair.

Jack looked down at Ennis and slowly made the front of their heads meet, making their noses touch.

"I know honey. It's just… this is the final proof that something is definitely wrong with my father. Uncle Daniel told me to let him deal with this situation but I'm afraid he might need my help. I'm afraid this may be more serious than we originally thought."

"Jack, no matter what, I'm with you." Ennis put his arms around Jack in a strong embrace.

"I know." Jack whispered holding his boyfriend closer.

* * *

**Author: **_Thank you, thank you and thank you again! Excellent reviews on the last chapter and a couple of interesting questions. I'm writing a few answers here:_

"_**What's the deal with Jack best friend?"**_

_A/N: __Well I can reveal all the details but Robert is definitely coming to make a visit soon. We will have news about him on chapter twenty! He's a very funny character and I'm having a lot of fun writing about him._

"_**Are we going to read about the Magnet Spring Party?"**_

_A/N: __Definitely! I have a few crazy ideas for this party. Still a complete secret!_

"_**What's the deal with Jack's father?"**_

_A/N: __Soon were going to find out! Next chapter… _

"_**C**__**an we get some angst here please?"**_

_A/N:__ You're going to regret this question! LOL just kidding:P_

_I'll post another chapter on Sunday! I'll be waiting for your opinions and questions. _

_**On the next chapter:**__ We have more surprises for our two favourite lovers. Jack finally finds out what's wrong with his father and Ennis finds out something more about Mathew Thurston. With totally unexpected results! _


	18. One surprise never comes alone

_**Author's Note:**__Thank you so very much for my friend _Kathy**kittie8571**_) who is now Beta my work!_

_**PS:**__ This chapter is dedicated to __**Kathy**_

_Thank you everybody for the reviews! Especially to _**WCUGirl****Ana**, **joetheone**, **Emmy**, **Jada91**_ and _**grlewis**.

And **8000** thanks you for the **8000 hits** we've got!

* * *

**Chapter Eighteen: One surprise never comes alone**

Jack woke up feeling extremely tired. He could only remember small portions of last night. Foggy images of him crying on Ennis's shoulder appeared in his mind and he was uncertain of how they ended up in Ennis's bed. Ennis probably carried him there from the couch.

Jack tried to change position. Somehow he ended up sleeping on his belly which was extremely unusual for him, but it was impossible since something was holding him down. He turned his head to the left and saw that Ennis was sleeping half on top of him, his left hand around his waist. He didn't want to wake Ennis. He wasn't even sure what time it was.

Very slowly, Jack looked up to see the time on Ennis' clock alarm. The red numbers told him it was almost time to wake up. At least this time we won't be late, he thought. He moved his body slowly so that he could be sleeping on his side. Jack could hear Ennis waking up behind him.

"Hmm good morning." Ennis asked holding him close and Jack could feel Ennis chest on his back. Jack relaxed in the comfortable embrace.

"Sorry to wake you up. I fell asleep in a horrible position." Jack felt Ennis nose in his hair.

"Probably my fault, you fell asleep on the couch so I had to carry you to the bed."

"That bad?"

"You were exhausted, naturally, considering we didn't have much time to sleep on the weekend. Do you feel better now?"

"Much better. I should have talked to you sooner about it. I've been suspecting about this between you and my father for quite some time."

"I honestly think it was better this way." Ennis paused, thinking what he should say next. "I don't hate your dad, not even close. I simply disliked his attitude but now that you suspect there may be a reason, I don't think there's a motive for any regret. I'm worried about him too."

"I know Ennis." Jack felt a kiss in his hair and in a minute, Ennis' arms were gone and his boyfriend was leaving the warm bed.

"We need to get up. I don't want to be late." Ennis said entering the bathroom.

"You're right. Ennis, where did you put the suit I left here last week?" Jack asked, slowly sitting on the edge of the bed.

"It's on the left side of the wardrobe." Ennis answered from the bathroom.

A few minutes later Ennis come out of the bathroom completely dressed. Jack was always surprised with the small amount of time his boyfriend needed to shower and get dressed.

"I'm going to make something for breakfast. Any requests, baby?" Ennis asked, and Jack couldn't help but notice that he was more affectionate than usual this morning.

"No, anything you want is fine with me." Jack was still choosing what to wear.

When Jack walked out of the bedroom, the smell of pancakes had filled the apartment. It was still early and Jack didn't have any appointments this morning. He was glad to have this time with Ennis. He moved to the kitchen, but before he had reached his goal, a small ball of fur appeared in front of him. Neve was, for some unknown reason, extremely happy to see him. Jack picked him up in his arms and took him to the kitchen.

"I found someone desperate to eat your amazing breakfast." Jack said, showing Ennis the white cat, who by now wasn't that small anymore.

"He's awake? Usually he sleeps until Lucia arrives." Ennis said taking the last pancake out of the frying pan.

Jack placed the cat on the floor and reached for the bag of cat food. Ennis took the pancakes to the table, where there was also coffee and milk.

"If you want fruit, you can take it from the fridge." Ennis said to the kitchen sitting in front of the table.

"It's ok, I'm not really that hungry." Jack said when he returned from the kitchen. Ennis gave him a worried look.

"Jack, there's something I need to tell you." Jack looked at him concerned. "It's nothing that serious, don't worry."

"Ok, go on, I'm listening." Jack said, eating another bit of his pancake.

"Yesterday Helen asked me to have a drink with her." Ennis looked at Jack and it was obvious that he was anxious. "Of course I said no, but I was surprised to find out she had a crush on me."

"You can't say I didn't warn you." Jack said sounding angry.

"I know baby. I told her we're together and she seemed to take it okay. So there's no need to be worried. I'm sure no harm is coming from her." Ennis looked at his plate again.

"Ennis?" Jack asked from his seat and Ennis looked up at him again. "Thank you for telling me."

"You've been doing the same thing from the beginning and I realized I should do the same. I don't want you to know from anyone else, especially not from Frederic." Ennis reach out and hold Jack's hand. "I want this to work."

"I know Ennis and I'm sure it will."

They continued to eat their breakfast in the company of Neve, talking about the news Ennis had found out about Mr. Santos and how they would try to help Uncle Daniel discover what was wrong with Jack's father. Half an hour later, Jack went to work and Ennis drove to the airport to pick up Tom Neill. Both felt happier than the night before.

* * *

Ennis was seated on his chair in his office, still recovering from the shock of the news Tom had told him. Since this morning, Helen had been avoiding him and for the first time, he was happy about it. This information needed some time to be digested and he knew this time alone was crucial. 

To his surprise, Tomas Neill was working on an investigation on a private college in North Dakota, the objective of which being to list all the names of the men who lately had any relationship with underage girls in that college. This information was important in cases of rape and paedophilia.

This would never have had anything to do with Ennis's case, but Tomas had found out a possible relation between one of the girls and the future senator Mathew Thurston. The girl was none other than Julian Reyes' niece, Nikita Ashby. Tom Neill could easily prove that the e-mails Ennis possessed were from Nikita and not from Julian. The young girl was currently living with Julian Reyes and had access to her computer. Ennis then understood that there were no sexual favours between Julian and Mathew -- those were perverted references from Nikita on her e-mails. Mathew Thurston was cheating on his wife with two different women, one of whom was underage. Ennis felt sick with this discovery, totally shocked with this latest action of the despicable man.

He was so lost in thought that he was surprised to find Jack inside his office looking completely stunned. Ennis blinked twice but Jack was still trying to find his breath.

"Ennis, you're not going to believe it." Jack finally said, waving a newspaper in front of him. For a few seconds, Ennis thought the media had somehow found out something about Mathew Thurston.

"What is it Jack?" Ennis asked when the newspaper fall in his table, right in front of him.

"Read the Social page."

Ennis quickly passed through the first pages to arrive at the social section. Written in big black letters he could read: **Enrique Twist has a new love.** Ennis read it again and after the fifth time, the words finally made sense. Was it possible? A woman, he thought.

"Can it be Ennis? My father is acting this way because of a woman?" Jack was surprised and definitely hurt.

Ennis decided to read more. He wasn't convinced that such simple thing would perturb a man like Enrique Twist and this newspaper never were completely truthful.

_Enrique Twist, one of the richest men in New York, is finally in love again. The lucky lady is Dr. Natalie Hall, daughter of the famous plastic surgeon William Hall. They have been seen together multiple times in the last month, usually drinking coffee together or… _

Ennis continued to read but nothing else seemed to catch his attention. He looked back at Jack, who was obviously fighting a battle inside his mind.

"Jack, I don't believe a woman is the reason why your father is acting this way." He paused trying to catch Jack's attention. "Did you notice the woman in the article is a doctor?" Jack eyes went wide and he could see he was reaching the same conclusions as himself.

"Do you think?" Jack asked looking scared.

"I thought about this possibility since the beginning."

"Oh my God! What's wrong with him?" Jack sat on the chair right in front of Ennis desk.

"We don't know but you need to talk to him as soon as possible. This is killing you inside. You need to confront him. Is he in the firm right now?" Ennis asked, standing up from his chair and kneeling closely to Jack.

"I don't think so. I think he's still at home." Jack looked at Ennis trying to find the strength he needed for the moment. "I'm going to see him right now. Can't wait another second."

"Do you want me to go with you?" Ennis asked when Jack got up from the chair.

"No Ennis, I need to make him tell me. With you there, he might feel threatened." Jack looked one last time at Ennis. "I'm going to call Uncle Daniel. He may help me."

Ennis stayed at the door looking at Jack entering the elevators. The man he loved was terrified, and like so many other times, Ennis felt unable to do anything to help him.

"Mr. Del Mar? Is there anything wrong with Mr. Jack?" Mrs. Campbell asked from her desk.

"Let's hope not, Mrs. Campbell, let's hope not." Ennis answered, entering his office.

* * *

Jack arrived at his father's house feeling completely desperate. He didn't know what to expect or how to deal with this conversation. He only knew he needed answers and he needed those answers right now. 

He knocked on the door and waited for one of the house maids to open it. He couldn't help but have a terrible feeling about all this. A few seconds later, the governess opened the door.

"Mr. Twist, Sir, it's a surprise to see here this soon on a Thursday." She opened the door and was surprised to see that Jack didn't say anything to her.

"Where's my father Ann?"

"Mr. Twist, do please calm down, you're not going to see the boss looking like that." She gave him a worried glance. She couldn't remember the last time he had seen the young Twist looking so nervous. "Mr. Twist, I'll go call for him. He's in his bedroom eating breakfast, but please Sir, promise me there will be no arguments."

"I promise I'll behave Ann. Please go get him, this is extremely important." Jack said, observing the older woman walking up the stairs. There was something pressing on his heart and he was having difficulty breathing. He silently wished this was not a panic attack.

Jack looked around. The living room was exactly as it had been the day he moved to his current apartment, eight years ago. Enrique wasn't a man for drastic changes. He liked the routines and the habits of a single father life. That was one of the main reasons why Jack decided to leave his father's house and live on his own. For Jack, life was a constant change. He needed to change things around him, just as he felt the changes inside of his mind. But Jack had learned in time that not all changes were good and he was now wondering if this was the moment when things would change for the worst.

"Jack, what are doing here at this time of the day? Shouldn't you be at the firm, son?" Enrique Twist was walking down the stairs, wearing his pajamas and a robe. Jack examined his face. He looked tired, but there were no other clues of any possible illness.

"Dad, we need to talk." Jack said, taking a deep breath. Enrique could easily notice that Jack was beyond stressed.

"What's the matter? Don't tell me -- this is about Ennis Del Mar." He looked at Jack annoyed.

"No dad, this is about something much more important than your opinion abut my boyfriend." He took a moment and looked his father right in the eyes. "Dad did you read the news?" He took the newspaper he had brought with me from the suitcase and put it in his father's lap. Enrique Twist looked at the page where it was open, there was a brief expression of surprised but then he managed to looked as calm as ever.

"Don't you have anything to tell me?" Jack asked observing his reaction.

"There's nothing to say about this incident. Now please Jack, go do your work, because the firm needs you now, more than ever. You're my son and it's your responsibility to lead by example."

"Dad, why didn't you tell me? Why did you need to hide your illness? What's happening?" Jack was desperate by now.

"How do you know?" Enrique Twist was the personification of surprise.

"You've been acting weird lately and now you have a romance with a doctor? Do you think I wouldn't suspect?" Jack was crying, but there were still plenty of questions needed to be done. "For how long dad? How long have you been keeping this from me?"

Enrique looked at his son. This was the moment he had been avoiding for more than three months. Since that very first consult with Dr. Natalie Hall, his worst fear had been the moment when Jack and Daniel would found out. The moment when the truth would definitely crash his world.

"For more than three months son." He looked at his son. Jack was petrified with the simple confirmation of his worst fears. "Dr. Hall told me I have cancer."

Jack wanted to scream. He desperately wanted to express his anger and frustration against the world. But all he could do was cry silently. He was too chocked to do anything else but cry and listen.

"I have pancreatic cancer. The tumour is an adenocarcinoma and the doctors say it must have been in my pancreas for more than four years." Enrique didn't proceed as a loud voice was heard from the kitchen. Uncle Daniel made his unexpected arrival at the living room.

"Oh my God Enrique, tell me it's not true. You're sick?" The red haired man looked terrorized. The pain was obvious when the other man nodded.

"Why have you hid this from us? Especially from me, you know how much I learned when my wife died. I could have helped you."

"You're right. It was because of what you suffered with your wife that I especially didn't want anyone to know." He looked at Jack, who was still silent and in shock.

"Enrique, no one can be alone in a situation like this. You need your friends." Uncle Daniel said sitting next to Jack.

"Dad, you need us to help you cope with your feelings. You think you're fine but all this secrecy is making you act like a different person."

"I've been coping pretty well with my feelings, and I've been always available to you, to the firm and to my friends. But I'm sure I cannot cope with other people's fears. I don't want to hear about all the family members who died with cancer, all the stories of survival and courage. I can't handle that type of conversation."

"Enrique, people will try to comfort you the best they can. It can be useless but it's still important for you not to be alone." There was a brief moment of silence between them. "Enrique, do tell… how long?"

It was simple question but for a moment in time everything around them stopped and Jack could swear that he could hear their heartbeats. He knew life would change even before he heard the answer.

"It will be at least _two more months_." The room was filled with the desperate cry of Jack Twist. Uncle Daniel understood it was time for him to make the questions Jack wanted to made but was right now incapable.

"Have you done chemotherapy or radiotherapy? Any other medical therapy?"

"I've been doing everything possible. But almost all the therapies weren't successful because of the late stage of the tumour. I've given up all faith in this last month."

"How could you dad? We need you! How could you give up like that?" There were tears falling from his eyes and a frantic expression on his face.

"I'm the one with cancer. It's my disease and I get to make the decisions about how I'm going to live with my disease with the time I have left."

"Yes, Enrique, but we have something to say too."

"If I want to eat peach pits or douse myself with holy water from Lourdes, it's my decision."

And with that said, Enrique Twist stood up, walked up the stairs and closed himself in his bedroom, leaving two desperate men behind.

* * *

Ennis had been worried all day long. Since Jack had left his office he had tried to call him, but his boyfriend was unreachable. Something was definitely wrong with Enrique Twist. 

After Jack left, Elizabeth appeared in Ennis' office, also worried about these latest developments. She was a long-time friend of Enrique and after hearing Jack's suspicions a few days ago, Elizabeth had started to fear a crisis in the Twist family. She knew Enrique liked to be silent man, not used to sharing his pain with anyone, but lately he had become a loner, and there were some signs of depression in his attitude. Ennis told her what he knew, which was very close to nothing.

He was arriving home now, still looking at his cell phone, waiting for any message or call from Jack. But nothing came.

Opening the door, Ennis looked at Neve. The white cat was sniffing his shoes with interest. He noticed that Lucia's bag and jacket were still resting on the small chair near the front door.

"Miss May, are you still here?" Ennis asked taking off his jacket.

"Yes my boy, over here." Miss May answered.

"I've just arrived from the firm. But you're late, did something go wrong?" Ennis asked observing the older woman cooking in his kitchen.

"No just got caught up in some spring cleaning. Is there something wrong, my boy? You look worried." She asked washing her hands in the sink. Ennis wondered how much he should tell her. After all, she was still Mrs. Campbell's cousin.

"A friend of mine is dealing with some family problems. Quite serious, actually. I'm kind of worried about him."

"Is that the same friend who keeps coming for dinner every Monday?" She asked curiously and Ennis looked displeased with the question. "I'm sorry, my boy. I shouldn't have asked, it's your life."

"It's ok, Miss May. Yes, it's the same friend." Ennis said giving her a look that said not to ask any more impertinent questions.

"A good friend proves himself on the bad moments. So, if he doesn't come to ask your help, perhaps you should go offer him your help."

"I understand what you mean Miss May."

"Well I'm done here. Take care of yourself my boy." She caressed his cheek. "And if you want to help your friend, all you have to do is give him your shoulder and your ears."

"Bye, Lucia. See you tomorrow." Ennis said as he walked her to the door.

"Bye." She said before leaving the apartment.

Ennis knew the older woman was right. He should have tried to find Jack and not expected Jack to come to him. He was getting his car keys when the doorbell rang. Ennis figured that Lucia had forgotten something.

"Miss May?" Ennis asked, opening the door. But in front of him was none other than Jack Twist. "Jack?" The smaller man looked devastated, and Ennis knew he had been crying for a long time.

Ennis felt Jack's arms holding him for dear life and he understood. There was no need for words. And when the tears started to fall from his boyfriend's face to his shoulder, he felt his own urge to cry. Because he surely knew that no one is prepared for the loss of a beloved father.

* * *

**Author: **_Lately I found myself surprised with my own story. How did they end up here? Writing this chapter was an immense pleasure. I wonder if Enrique's illness was a predictable event!? I did leave some clues behind on previous chapters. I'm dieing to know your opinion… _

_I'll post another chapter on Wednesday or maybe later! (Sorry, but I have lots of exams and I haven't been writing much!) _

_**On the next chapter:**__ Two weeks pass and it's the beginning of the battle between Danielle and Mathew! The truth shocks everyone and Ennis has to face the consequences of his actions. In the meanwhile Jack learns a bit more about his father's illness. _


	19. A victory is always a victory

_**Author's Note**__Thank you so very much for my friend _Kathy (**kittie8571**_) who is the Beta of this story! _

_Thank you everybody for the reviews! Especially to **WCUGirl**, **RAMONA**, **Ania**, **sweetjg**, **mia** and **VP**. _

_I got 7 reviews on the last chapter and I couldn't be happier! Thank you dear readers, I hope, I won't disappoint any of you! _

* * *

**Chapter Nineteen: ****A victory is always a victory**

The television was showing the news. On the large screen of the local restaurant's TV, Mrs. Thurston looked much younger. There she was, with her black hair and conservative look, surrounded by microphones. Ennis had predicted that after the public announcement, the media would cover every step of the divorce. As usual, he had been right. With the exception of one Thursday, when Jack and Ennis had a nice dinner in celebration of their fist month together, they haven't got much time together. It had been two weeks.

Ennis knew that in a couple of days, the divorce would be over. But the media will have another interesting case to follow. Mathew Thurston's accusation of corruption was going to be seen on every channel. He surely couldn't wait. Everything about this case had begun to feel boring. Ennis had explored every single detail and now he wanted something else to amuse his mind. This was another reason why Ennis preferred to work in murder cases. There was so much more to study and understand. But the majority of Ennis' colleagues didn't agree with him. Most of them dreaded working in murder cases not only because of the complex scenarios that usually come with such cases, but also because there was a possibility of ending up defending murderers.

Ennis had started taking these cases when he was working in the M.P. office in Texas. It was one of his first jobs after graduating. Back in that time, he would usually work for the prosecution and because of that, he developed a preference for murder cases. Now working for a firm like the Magnet, he was more likely to get a defense on a murder case. He didn't like it as much as prosecution, but the passion was there and he would prefer it to a divorce any time.

Ennis looked at the television again. This time he could see Helen on the screen. The brunette had a determined look on her face and not even the flashes made her blink more than twice. Ennis was happy she had agreed to represent Mrs. Thurston's defense lawyers. He hated anything related to the media. Even when he was younger and he had needed the publicity to become a well known lawyer, he had avoided any extra collaboration.

Ennis looked at his plate again, so white, so empty, and he was so hungry, so desperate. Only Jack could make him wait for so long, he thought. But Ennis knew that this was not the best time to criticize Jack. His boyfriend was going through some very bad times.

He had felt more than shock that night. He had expected for Enrique Twist to be sick but his predictions were far from the terrifying truth. Jack cried for hours and when he fell asleep, Ennis knew he had a few nightmares. Who could blame him? Ennis thought.

Today's morning in the firm had been awkward. Elizabeth had been trying to find news from Enrique all morning but Ennis couldn't tell her what he knew. Helen kept avoiding him and was more than glad when he decided to stay at the firm while she helped Mrs. Thurston deal with the media. Most of the lawyers were already gossiping about Enrique's latest absence. Ennis felt like the cat who ate the canary.

"Sorry I'm late." Ennis looked up. Jack was sitting on the chair next to him. They were going to eat at the balcony.

"How are you feeling? Did you sleep well after I left?" Ennis asked looking closely at Jack.

"Yes I feel better, didn't have much more sleep, but I'm better." Ennis couldn't help but feel that Jack didn't look like himself when he was depressed. This man sitting in front of him was someone else.

"Did you see the news?" Ennis asked, trying to make conversation.

"No, but I heard on the radio on my way here. Mathew Thurston must be furious and Frederic too." Jack said, looking at the menu.

"No surprises, right? Personally, I just want for the case to be finished." Ennis put his menu down. "You'll never guess who called me this morning."

"Do I really want to know? Please don't tell me you have a new case on the other side of the world." Jack looked at him pleading with his eyes.

"No, it was nothing like that. I'm not going to leave you alone, at least not until I'm sure you're fine." Ennis grabbed Jack's hand for a minute and then let it go. He was always taken by the irrational fear of being seen which was ridiculous considering he was a man of the twenty-first century living in the capital of the world. "Mr. Santos was the one who called. He's anxious to get married. I told him he could get another lawyer to do the prenuptial deal for him, but he wants us."

"So he's our next case?" Jack asked, waving to the waitress.

"Yes, definitely it is. He told me something about coming to Hollywood with his fiancé and meeting us there."

"Hollywood? He doesn't look like the type of guy who has fun in Hollywood." Jack said before the waitress arrived. Ennis asked for a double cheese burger and Jack picked a tuna salad.

"You're going to eat salad?" Ennis asked raising a hair brow.

"My stomach hasn't been working well since..."

"What about breakfast?"

"Right down the toilet." Jack answered, making a sick face.

"Sorry to hear that. Did you take any medicine? Maybe you should go see a doctor. This kind of things can turn a man inside out."

"You're right. I'm still in the "deny" phase." Jack said and there were small tears appearing in his eyes.

"It's natural. No one is asking you to be Superman. Maybe you should withdraw from the case. Fredric is a stubborn fool. He'll be fine alone. You need to rest."

"No. I need to be working. If I stay at home alone, I'm going to drive myself mad. Even with Matilda's company, all I can think about is my father."

"I guess I understand." The food arrived and Ennis used the moment to find the courage to ask one last difficult question. "Do you plan on talking with your father again?"

"I have to. There are a thousand questions burning in my mind." Jack shook his head. "The worst thing about this is that my father just dropped the bomb and ran away. Like a coward."

"Jack, we talked about this before. Your father is in a very delicate situation, you need to understand his reasons."

"That's what uncle Daniel told me. He called me this morning saying I should have lunch with him tomorrow."

"I think is a very good idea. He sure knows how to deal with this better than you. You should ask him for some advice. Maybe plan a way to help your father."

"I know Ennis. That's what I'm planning to do." Jack said, eating another peace of tuna.

* * *

Jack was feeling the tension in the room. Something big was about to happen. Ennis and Helen were exchanging glances with their client every five minutes. Frederic was feeling the tension too, Jack was sure, but the blond lawyer looked as cold as ever. 

Yes, Jack was certain something big was going to happen. He looked behind to the people seated on the few wooden chairs. A few well known faces and Thurston's close family. Nothing unusual, he thought.

The judge entered and Jack looked at Ennis one last time. There it was -- the sadistic smile or at least so it looked. He was sure something really bad was about to happen for Mathew Thurston.

He stayed silent hearing Frederic's opening statement. Everything went according to plan. The jury looked engrossed in Frederic's words. It was his best quality as a lawyer. The capacity to make anyone listen to him. It wasn't easy to make Mathew Thurston look like a saint, but Frederic was doing a very good job of it.

Then it was Ennis's time to speak. Observing Ennis talking was completely different from observing Frederic. Ennis was a man of truth, everything he said sounded like the most pure truth. This was the reason why Ennis usually got so involved in his cases. He needed to feel the truth before transmitting it to others. He needed to be the first to believe, the first to be convinced.

"What we have here is not a typical divorce. No. Danielle Thurston suffered as no woman should suffer. She was forgotten as a woman, despised as a wife and dismissed like an object. She was betrayed by her husband and her best friend. A pain so intense, no one of us can understand. Even so, in the interest of her husband, she kept the painful secret of her own personal hell. But there is a limit to everything. Ladies and gentlemen, your honor, members of the jury, what we have here today is the scream of a desperate woman. A woman who had reached her limit, and wishes never again to face her husband." Ennis paused, coming closer to the members of the jury. "Isn't she entitled to a large part of the Thurston money? She is the one who was betrayed, the one who everybody should feel pity for. She's the one who has a son to raise now." Ennis walked away from the jury members and Jack took the chance to observe Danielle Thurston. The woman looked shocked, as if someone had recently given her bad and surprising news. Whatever it was that Ennis was about to do, Danielle Thurston had only recently be informed. And this was not good news for Jack and Frederic.

"Today we're going to prove that Mathew Thurston wasn't unfaithful to his wife with only Julian Reyes. We're going to prove that sleeping with other women was a common habit." Ennis waved in the direction of his client. "Mathew Thurston wasn't the husband that my client thought he would be the day they got married. And that, distinct members of the jury, is what we are going to prove today."

Jack was surprised. Ennis and Helen had proof that Mathew had other lovers? That would mean trouble for him and Frederic. Real trouble.

* * *

Ennis was trying hard not to smile. It was quite difficult, especially when Frederic was looking as shocked as he was right now. The trial had lasted less than three hours. As soon as Ennis interrogated Julian Reyes the bomb fell. The audience and the members of the jury hadn't been able to suppress their surprise. Soon the noise filled the room and the judge was forced to react. The case was immediately suspended and the judge requested a meeting with the attorneys in half an hour. 

Ennis knew exactly what the judge wanted the half hour for. He should be, right now, reading the files Ennis had presented from the M.P. office in North Dakota. If he was right, Mathew Thurston wouldn't leave the building without the company of at least two officers. He wondered how long the press would take to find out about these recent developments. It was already difficult to move from the court room to the judge's chambers and judging by the questions the reporters were asking, there was still no suspicions as to why the divorce proceedings had been suspended.

"Mr. Del Mar, a few questions for the New York Daily News?"

"Miss Carrilho, National Post. Is it true that there will no longer be a divorce?"

The noise was becoming unbearable and Helen finally opened the door to the room were they had been working just a few hour before. Danielle sat in the first chair she saw and Ennis could see that the older woman was regretting something.

"I wasn't expecting this." Danielle said, looking at the empty chairs around her. Ennis and Helen were still standing next to the door. "I mean… I was expecting this just…"

"I know how you feel Danielle. This is a very important moment. You cannot lose your strength now," Helen said, sitting next to the other woman.

"But we didn't win. I heard the judge. The divorce is suspended." Danielle shook her head slightly. Ennis looked at her and decided to enlighten her.

"The divorce was suspended because there were developments in the case that needed confirmation. But don't worry, Mrs. Thurston. You will have a deal with the amount of money you had requested previously in a few hours. I guarantee you." Ennis's voice sounded certain and Danielle only nodded.

"Danielle, there will be a meeting with the judge regarding the crimes our investigation uncovered." Helen placed her hand on Danielle's shoulder. "It's for the lawyers only. But I intend to stay with you here and prepare you for the final steps of the divorce."

"Mrs. Thurston, you can finally rest your worries. I have with me a deal, ready to be signed by Mr. Thurston. Next time you see me, you'll be the richest woman in North Dakota."

"I'm going to call the firm to send us a car to take us to the place where you're staying. We need to throw these reporters off the scent and I know just how to do it."

"You should call your son. He's probably scared, watching the media circus."

"Yes, you're right, Mr. Del Mar. He needs me right now and I surely need to hear from him too." Danielle Thurston picked up her cell phone and Helen and Ennis moved to the door to give her privacy.

"You're ready?" Helen asked Ennis.

"There's really not much to be said except that we worked with the M.P. in a criminal investigation."

"It wasn't _really_ like that, but you're right, there's nothing to worry about."

"It's done Helen. Just stay close to her and don't let her go outside these doors before I come back, all right?"

"Right, Ennis." She smiled a little and Ennis moved to the handle on the door. "Ennis?" He looked at her again. "You did a wonderful job today."

"I'm glad to hear that, Helen." Ennis smiled back to her and opened the door, ready to face the dozens of reporters waiting outside.

* * *

"Mr. Del Mar, I'm still surprised." The judge said, still shaking his head. 

Ennis observed him carefully. The judge was an Afro-American man, almost fifty years old, well-known on the circuit. He wanted answers and Ennis feared for that.

"The M.P. office has confirmed your accusations. I must say, I'm not happy with this put up show you have made."

"Your honor, I only presented the court with the results of the combined investigation we've made with the M.P. office. And only because it was my intention to prove the character of Mr. Thurston as a husband." Ennis said defending his position.

"Yes Mr. Del Mar, I'm well aware of your intentions."

"Our collaboration was only possible because he made a concrete deal. We were the ones making the first accusation and they will come out with the public announcement. It's only fair, your honor."

"Mr. Del Mar you are well aware that the _deal_ you are mentioning is far from ethical." He looked at Ennis, taking his reading glasses away. "But, if the M.P. office needs to make deals with rich lawyers these days, I have to ignore it."

Ennis didn't know if he should be angry or happy with the comment, because for him it could as easily be meant as a compliment or an insult. He decided to remain neutral.

"Mr. Dawson and Mr. Twist, this is very bad news for your client. If we go back to that court room, there's no way the jury will believe anything you two decide to tell them. Perhaps I should leave the three of you to work on a deal. I'll be back in twenty minutes." He stood up from his chair and looked one last time to the young lawyers. "When I come back, I'll need a definitive answer." He left the room without another word.

"Well." Ennis said calling the attention of Jack and Frederic. "I have here the deal for Mr. Thurston to sign."

Frederic quickly read the paper and then gave it back to Jack to read it too. He was thinking about the consequences of losing this extremely well-known case and Ennis could see it.

"Ennis, this is the same amount she wanted in the beginning." Jack said, surprised.

"You think I haven't noticed? Danielle is a stubborn woman. She thinks that's the amount she deserves and not a dollar less."

"Well it's still a very impressive amount but I'm sure Mathew Thurston is going to sign it."

"Good, you can give the paperwork to my secretary as soon as possible. I can't wait to get out of here." Ennis said giving Frederic another amount of files. "Those are copies of the M.P. office's accusations."

"I really don't' think he's going to pick us for his lawyers Del Mar." Fredric said grabbing the files.

"Well, he still needs to have those files with him."

At that moment, the judge returned and they both looked up at the older man.

"So?" The judge said, sitting on his chair.

"I'm pretty sure that our client is going to accept the deal Mrs. Thurston offers now." Jack said to the older man.

"Very well. Then the case is closed as soon as I see with my own eyes that deal, _signed_."

"First thing in the morning, your honor." Frederic said, standing up.

"Now please gentlemen, I would like to have my office back." The judge said waving his hand to the door.

Ennis was the first one to get out the judge's chambers. He needed to be back to Helen and Danielle as soon as possible. The reporters were arriving at an increasing speed. Ennis turned when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Congratulations Ennis. You did a very nice job." Jack said, shaking his hand as usual between lawyers.

"Thank you." Ennis said smiling.

"Yeah… congratulations Del Mar." Frederic said moving in the opposite direction. Ennis watched Jack smiled once more before he turned around and chased the blond man.

* * *

Ennis arrived at the firm feeling exhausted. It had been a long day. All he wanted was to file away all the documents of the divorce and, as usual on Wednesdays, have dinner at Jack's apartment. Maybe watch some soccer or tennis and help Jack in these difficult times. 

"Del Mar I want you in my office, right now!" Ennis looked up at the angry voice, it was Enrique Twist. He had been expecting this confrontation but he had wished it didn't have to happen today.

"I'm coming Mr. Twist." Ennis said, moving to the boss's office and avoiding the stares of other colleagues.

"Ennis, I've just found out what you did this morning in court." Enrique was sitting in his chair, his expression showing irritation.

"It seems you're not going to congratulate me, so I have no idea why I'm here." His tone of voice was calm and confident.

"You know very well, why you're here." Enrique was totally possessed. "You've just _destroyed_ one of the richest and influential men in North Dakota. Do you have any idea what that's going to do to our image?"

"I have a few ideas." Ennis said facing Enrique.

"I'm wondering now, why wasn't I informed that such action was about to be taken?"

"I could have informed you at our last meeting, but Jack was there. A few days later, the M.P. office's lawyer called me and I was forced to expose this as soon as possible." Ennis looked at the floor. "You haven't been at the firm in the last days. I made the decision myself."

There was a few seconds of silence while both men tried to suppress their anger.

"About what I think about our image, all I can say is that every single client that needs a good firm with excellent investigative resources is going to pick us." Ennis said.

"Ennis, most of our clients have deep dark secrets. You're not working for the M.P.'s office! No one is going to pick a lawyer that might found out something interesting for the M.P.'s office." Enrique stood up from his chair and looked at the window. "You're ruining your chances of becoming a great lawyer and ruining our image too."

"I think you're wrong. All these clients you're talking about are going to ask me to work for them. It's logical because they don't want to have me working against them. As long as they are my clients, their secrets are safe." Ennis watched Enrique turn around to face him again. "As for our firm's image, I ask you to look at it as I am looking now. Today we won a few thousands of dollars with the deal. A very nice percentage is going to the Magnet firm. We exposed a very scandalous crime and our name is going to appear in every single newspaper of the USA. It couldn't get much better than this."

"You think you have all the answers, don't you, Del Mar?"

"No. But I didn't make these decisions without serious thinking." Ennis stood up from his chair. "I'm not the kid you think I am. I may not be the best man in the world, probably not good enough to be with you son, but I'm not as bad as you think."

"We'll see about that, Del Mar. You're dismissed."

Ennis left the room feeling even more tired. He hated to confront the man, especially knowing that he was terminally ill. But he understood that, at least this time, he had made a good impression on Enrique Twist.

"Ennis?" A feminine voice called and Ennis found himself facing his partner.

"Hello, Helen."

"I've just talked to Mrs. Campbell. Frederic left us the signed deal. I'm going to send it to the notary."

"I guess this means the job is done." Ennis said smiling. He was finally feeling that the things between him and Helen were back to normal.

"Yes. It was great to work with you Ennis." She said offering her hand to shake.

"I feel the same. I hope we can become friends."

"That's not such a good idea, Ennis. I need time away from you." The last part was almost a whisper and Ennis felt awkward again.

"It's your decision Helen." He said moving to his office and leaving Helen alone with her thoughts.

* * *

Jack was lying on his French couch, waiting for Ennis to arrive. The television was broadcasting a soccer game from the Spanish league and he was absently watching it, while drinking a cold beer. 

Usually he would be jumping in his seat, living every single moment but today his mind was on more important things. He was feeling sad and depressed but at the same time he was also feeling angered and frustrated. He wanted to support his father and fill his heart with the hope that they were going to find cure. But all of that seemed more and more impossible. Actually, a few hours before, Uncle Daniel told him a few things that totally destroyed his last hopes.

A knock on the door jolted Jack from his line of thought. He moved to the door, suspecting who the visitor was.

"Hi, honey." Jack said opening the door.

"Hi." Ennis leaned down and kissed his boyfriend on the lips.

"Come on in, the game is on." Jack moved back to the couch and Ennis followed him.

"Are you feeling better? We had a tough day." Ennis said, left hand resting on Jack's shoulders.

"Actually, the answer is no." Jack answered moving closer. "Uncle Daniel was here a few hours ago. And before that was Elizabeth in the firm."

"You want to talk about it?" Ennis asked, resting his chin on Jack's head.

"Elizabeth only wanted to know the truth." Jack paused, sighing. "She was shocked, of course. Dad didn't tell her a word. When she found out he was terminal…" Jack couldn't tell the rest and Ennis caressed Jack's hair softly.

"Uncle Daniel was a completely different story. He had been researching about dad's illness, even went to talk to the doctors. He's dad's significant one, since I remember."

"Did he find out anything?"

"Yes. Unfortunately it seems that everything my father said is true. Uncle Daniel also found out the reason for dad's swing moods. He is in the first steps of a serious depression. At least, that's what the doctor said. Depression is one of the symptoms of pancreatic cancer but dad refuses to follow psychiatric treatment."

"He doesn't look depressed."

"The doctor told Uncle Daniel that he only acts like that when he's around us. He's forcing us to believe everything is fine with him. Uncle Daniel went to talk with him again this morning and they had an ugly fight. Dad told him not to come back anytime soon and that he also didn't want to hear from me for the rest of the week. He said he would have a serious talk with me on the weekend." Ennis could feel Jack breathing faster.

"I feel so impotent, there's nothing I can do to help him and he doesn't even let me give him my support. He's my dad! I want to be with him, now more than ever. If he's truly living his last days on earth, I don't want to fight, I want to be with him. I truly don't care about the firm and all the stupid things he's so worried about. I want to hug him and remember all the good times we had together." Jack was crying on Ennis' shoulder and the blond man was himself on the edge of tears.

"I want to help you so much and I don't know what to do, baby." Ennis whispered in Jack's ear.

"Just kiss me Ennis." Jack answered and their lips met hungrily. It was a mix of love and desperation.

Ennis understood that Jack needed to feel alive and loved, and he was more than happy to be the one who could make him felt that way.

Their slow and gentle lovemaking quickly turned into frantic sexual release. Their movements made the perfect French couch move out of place a few centimeters until suddenly it all stopped with the loud sound of two desperate cries. From the deepness of his blissful orgasm, Jack heard a soft _I love you_.

And for a few moments, all was right in Jack's Twist life.

* * *

**Author: **_In this chapter we had the opportunity to watch our lawyers working in court. I'm wondering if you guys liked it. I just loved to write about Ennis in this chapter, he's a different person when he is working... _

_I'll be waiting to hear about your opinions! _

_**On the next chapter:**__ Finally we have more news about Robert, Jack's best friend. Ennis and Jack went to Hollywood to work on Mr. Santos' prenuptial deal and the romance is in the air. Yes, another chapter with slash! _


	20. A friend, a fiancé and a lover

_**Author's Note: **__Thank you so very much for my friend _Kathy**kittie8571**_) who is the Beta of this story! _

_**Do any of you remember chapter four? Well if I were you I would read it again before you read this new chapter… You'll see why…**_

_Thank you everybody for the reviews! Especially to _**redfeddex****grlewis**, **WCUGirl**, **sapphobrazil**, **Jada91**, **sweetjg**, **120cassie** _and _**ann-sue**.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty****: A friend, a fiancé and a lover**

On Friday morning, Jack woke up with the sound of his doorbell ringing. He picked up his watch and was surprised to discover that it was only 6 am. The bell rang again and Jack felt the fear rushing trough his body. It could be about his dad. He left the bed in seconds and ran to the door.

In front of him, it was only a young teenage boy, apparently doing his delivering job. Jack realized he was only wearing his boxers.

"Sorry kid, I thought it was someone else." He said signing the papers.

"No worries, mister," the boy answered.

"It's quite early to start delivering things." Jack said as he accepted the small white box.

"Not the ones in the urgency system. We make deliveries at any time of the day, mister. Anytime our costumers request."

"Are you telling me that someone asked your company to send this to my house, at this time of the day?" Jack asked annoyed.

"Exactly mister." The kid smiled. "Here's our card, in case you ever need our services."

"Thanks." Jack answered and the kid quickly retreated to the elevators.

Jack entered and closed the door with him. He started by reading the label.

**From: Robert Martin, Florence, Italy.**

**To: Jack Twist, New York, USA**

Underneath the names he could read the complete addresses, and by the weight of the box, Jack was almost sure it was full of papers.

"What the hell is he planning now?" Jack asked to the empty hallway.

Jack moved to the kitchen, took a knife from the drawer and used it to open the box. He looked at the coffee machine and turned it on. He definitely wasn't going to sleep anymore, so a good mug of coffee was in order.

He turned his attention back to the white box. Like he had predicted, the box contained a few pieces of paper and a photograph. Jack looked closely at the photo. He could see Robert sitting at an outdoor café. It looked like he was in Florence, but Jack wasn't really sure. Next to him was a beautiful dog that looked like a really big fox. It was very uncommon for a dog to have orange fur. Jack turned the photo and read what Robert had written.

_Me and foxy! Café di Roma, 24/05/07_

Jack smiled. Robert got a dog. He wondered if his best friend was going to take the dog on all his work trips. Poor dog, he thought.

Jack took out the few pieces of paper and went to the living room, taking a mug of coffee with him. He sat on the couch and started to read.

_Hi Jack,_

_You're probably wondering why the hell I've decided to send you a letter and photo by a delivering company. Well there were many reasons, but I'm only going to tell you a few of them. The selfish ones, of course! _

_First of all, it was the amazing opportunity of pissing you off! We've been away from each other for so long that I don't remember the last time I played a prank on you. Remember that time when you were working with Elizabeth on a divorce case and I sent you all that "heterosexual" porn instead of photos? It was so great, especially because you didn't check the envelope before you gave it to Elizabeth!!! You didn't talk to me for a whole month and I laughed the entire time._

_Well, I was walking down a street, not far away from my apartment, remembering that old prank, when I found this delivering company. I thought to myself, Jack is going to have a nice surprise tomorrow morning. The best of all… they work with stamps! Why am I talking about stamps? Well that's my second reason._

_Not long time ago, I met this guy, my new neighbor, who convinced me that because of the internet, stamps were gradually disappearing. In my work, I've seen the most incredible situations and people are always worried about so many different things. But it was the first time someone told me that we need to save stamps from extinction! You're probably laughing… don't! He actually convinced me, talking about the importance of post offices in the economy and how we're losing a part of our history. Almost an hour of torture, but in the end it must have worked, because here I am, writing you a letter._

_But this was not only because I wanted to be a stamp's hero. No. I'm writing because I've finally bought the plane tickets. That's right! Robert is going to annoy you, personally, for an entire week! The joy! I can't wait to meet the famous Ennis… It's not all the time that you send me e-mails about new boyfriends. It must be serious. How I wish I could write you back about some pretty new girlfriend, but no such luck for me. I remember when you told me that working in a National Geographic magazine and being called Robert, I was likely to seduce some handsome housewife. Sorry to say, but this is still no "Bridges of Madison County." Only you forced me to read the damn book! You will pay for that in the future. _

_Anyway, t__he plane is scheduled to arrive at 9 pm, next week, on Monday. Surprise! I'm coming one month earlier! But I've been in the Europe long enough to know that nobody does anything on time. What am I saying? It's the same thing in our beloved country. So prepare yourself to wait for me. The rest of the details are written in another piece of paper inside the box. _

_I have a few other bits of news but I'm saving them for our week together. I hope you'll lose sleep with curiosity. _

_And don't forget that I expect you to take the week off! I want a complete trip to the city! That includes dinner with Elizabeth and her fiancé and lunch with Uncle Daniel and your dad. You're lucky I'm leaving Foxy with the "stamps" neighbor._

_Write me back! No e-mails! So I can give the stamps to my neighbor as compensation for taking care of Foxy._

_Your friend, _

_Robert_

_PS. Tell Matilda I want the chocolate cake ready for my triumphant return! How I miss her cooking…_

By the end of the letter, Jack was smiling. Robert was, as usual, very comical in his letters. Jack especially liked that his best friend had the habit of writing his thoughts mixed with his feelings mixed with what he actually wanted to write. It was exactly like talking to Robert face to face.

He drank a bit more of his coffee and thought about what he was going to write back. He wanted to tell Robert about his father and it was best to let him know now. Picking up a sheet of paper, Jack started to write.

* * *

Ennis was on the phone with Mr. Santos and from time to time, he would laugh or shake his head at the incredible and surprising happiness of the man. 

Mr. Santos had grown fond of Ennis in very little time. From the fist time their eyes met, Ennis knew he and the rich man were going to like each other. Elizabeth had told him so, but he only believed it when he entered Mr. Santos' office. They were similar in character and that was the main reason. Ennis still remembered when Mr. Santos lent him his personal New York's helicopter. He trusted him completely.

"I tell you Ennis, she's the love of my life." Mr. Santos said on the other side of the line.

"I believe you, Mr. Santos. But you must understand that as your lawyers, Jack and I need to work for what's best for you."

"I know Ennis. That's why I agreed to come and sign the prenuptial agreement. But let's be smooth about it. I don't want my little princess to be angry."

"I'll leave that part to Jack."

"Yeah, you better. You're like me, Ennis. Words are not our specialty."

"You're right about it. But investigation is my strongest point Sir. A word from you and I will find out everything there is to know about her."

"I don't know Ennis. Sounds like betrayal to me. Let me think about it."

"No worries, Mr. Santos. Jack and I will be in Hollywood tomorrow morning. We're thinking about flying tonight."

"Unbelievable Ennis. A couple of days ago I saw you on the news, exposing the Thurston fellow. And now you're already working on another case. Don't you guys have days off?"

"Well Mr. Santos if you really want to know, I'll tell you. Here at the firm, we have a very free policy. As long as you're a good lawyer, you can make your own timetable and go on vacation when you want. _But_ our performances as lawyers are analyzed by the amount of money we bring to the firm and the important clients we have exclusively."

"I have no idea if that's a good thing or a bad thing."

"It's neither. Just a different way to make us work, I guess."

"Well Ennis, this issue is not going to make the firm win a lot of money, but I'm an exclusive client. I'm beginning to understand." Ennis, on the other side of the line, shook his head smiling.

"Something like that, Sir."

"Ennis, can I ask you a question?"

"Of course, Sir."

"If you were in my position, would you sign the deal?"

Ennis took a moment to answer. He liked Mr. Santos and was aware that this deal was much more important for his financial health than the man would ever realize. But then if they ever changed positions…

"Mr. Santos, if you're so worried about your fiancé sensibilities, we can also use this agreement to protect her."

"What do you mean Ennis?"

"Well, we could introduce a few clauses, in case something happens to you or in case you're unfaithful to her." He paused, waiting for Mr. Santos to understand his propose. "Make it thorough, a fair deal, with both sides having equal rights."

"I'm completely sure I'm never going to be unfaithful to her and my health is better than ever, but you're right Ennis. It does make things look different."

"Then I'm going to work with Jack on that. Anything else worrying you, Sir?" Ennis asked, looking at the door where Jack had suddenly appeared.

"Actually, I've been thinking about all those photos appearing on the magazines. I didn't give them permission."

"Obviously paparazzi work. I'll see what I can do."

"Well then we'll see each other tomorrow morning. It was nice talking to you, Ennis."

"The pleasure was all mine." Ennis answered, ending the call. He looked at Jack, who was now sitting on the chair in front of him.

"Any more problems?" Jack asked. He looked tired. Even his eyes were lacking the usual sparkle. A small part of Jack was dying and Ennis knew there was very little he could do about it.

"Nothing really important. Some photos that appeared in the newspapers and magazines were apparently taken by paparazzi. I'm thinking about some legal warning. Nothing that serious."

"You're right. I have a connection or two in that area. We can threaten them a bit with a lawsuit."

"Actually, that sounds appealing. We could win a lot of money in a case like that. Never got a lawsuit like that." Ennis said, sounding sadder than he should and Jack smiled a little.

"I've got plenty of them. But here at the Magnet, we have lawyers who are experts on lawsuits. Almost all of them are members of the board."

"I can understand that. They should be the ones who bring more money for the firm. Is Elizabeth an expert in lawsuits as well?"

"Yes, but that's the best thing about Elizabeth. She's an expert in almost every law field. It's amazing. A gift, I believe."

"You should have seen the look on my face the day she appeared in my apartment. I had always been a big fan, but now it's different. I get to know the real woman and she's an amazing human being."

"I agree with you. I always loved to work with her." Jack paused smiling again. "Did you know I was working with her on the Richardson's case?"

"Really? I can't believe it! But back at that time…"

"Yeah, I had graduated not a year before. I was a kid but Elizabeth let me watch and learn. I didn't do much."

"Were you in the court room with her?" Ennis asked, eager to know more details about one of Elizabeth's more legendary cases.

"Of course, honey." Jack was daydreaming, obviously remembering every little detail. "There was something she said that I could never forget." He paused, looking at Ennis, just so he could see the desperate interest of Ennis.

"Come on Jack. I'm dying to know." Jack looked at him and moved slowly in his chair. It looked as if he was getting ready to tell some ancient, magical bedtime story.

"The trial had only started. Elizabeth had finished her opening statement and the other lawyer… I think it was Michael Ashby. Anyway, he quoted Karl Popper on his statement, something about freedom of speech. Elizabeth just looked at him and said: _Karl Popper was a pervert drunkard. _I thought Elizabeth had gone crazy and, of course, Ashby denied it immediately. She smiled, looked at the judge and said: _Well the same thing is being said about my client and no one seems to be so worried about it._"

"Brilliant!" Ennis said, shaking his head.

"She, of course, won, but it was amazing to see her doing it. She's been very important in my life."

"She's a good friend." Ennis replied smiling.

"Talking about friends… Robert arrives Wednesday morning. Actually, I'll have to take the whole week off."

"Your best friend? The photographer from National Geographic?"

"Yes, and he's quite eager to meet you."

"Should I worry?" Ennis asked, rising an eye brow.

"I really don't think so, honey." Jack leaned on the table and kissed Ennis softly on the lips.

"Have I told you how good it is to be working with you again?" Ennis asked, and they kissed again.

* * *

Jack and Ennis were leaving Ennis's office when Elizabeth appeared. She was looking absolutely perfect with her spring suit and her silver and white sandals. 

"Hello kids." She said, resting her small hand on Jack's shoulder. "How are you feeling?"

"Slightly better, I guess." There was a small unusual moment of silence between them.

"There's really nothing I can say. We both know that but…" She moved closer to Jack. "Stay strong because you know we're here for you."

"Thanks Beth." Jack said unconsciously leaning against Ennis. Elizabeth smiled, but then her eyes traveled to a small spot, on the other side of the hallway.

"For some odd reason, Helen is staring at us. Did any of you have a recent fight with her?"

Jack immediately looked back. There it was, Helen Carrilho looking at them. She made eye contact with Jack for a second, and then pretended to engage on a conversation with her secretary.

"She…" Ennis started, not looking back at Helen, but Jack spoke first.

"She likes Ennis. And as far as I can see, didn't really believe we are together." Jack moved his hand and placed it on Ennis ass. In a way that it was obvious even for Elizabeth, who were facing the two men.

"Jack, what the hell are doing?" Ennis whispered angry.

"I'm sending a message." Jack said looking very calm, and after a few more seconds, he withdrew his hand. Elizabeth was trying hard not to laugh and Ennis was blushing hard.

"As funny as your teenager interactions can be, I have something much more interesting to say." Elizabeth said.

"You've finally set a date for the wedding." Jack said, rolling his eyes.

"No. Mary and I have something we wanted to talk to you guys about. It's more with Jack, actually, but still we wanted both of you to have dinner with us soon."

"Well that's complicated." Ennis answered still embarrassed, but looked at Jack.

"Yes, this week we have to work on the Santos' prenuptial deal and next week Robert is coming, so I'm taking the week off."

"Wait a minute! Mr. Santos is engaged? And Robert is coming this month?"

"Didn't you know? The press found out about Mr. Santos engagement on the same day of yours." Ennis answered.

"And I only found out that Robert was coming this morning. He sent me the weirdest letter. You know how he is."

"He's so funny. You're going to like him, Ennis." She said smiling. "I guess with all the excitement of the engagement, I didn't give much attention to the news."

"By the way, how is Sophie?" Jack asked.

"She's fine. We still don't get much sleep but it's worth it."

"She's something else." Ennis said and they all smiled. Elizabeth then started to tell Jack and Ennis everything about Sophie's latest adventures.

* * *

Ennis and Jack were arriving at their hotel when Ennis's mobile phone rang loudly. They were both sitting inside a rather noisy taxi and dreaming of the moment when they would be able to rest for a few hours. The flight hadn't been uncomfortable, but Ennis and Jack worked on the prenuptial agreement the entire time. 

Jack looked at Ennis, who was looking puzzled at the screen of his mobile phone.

"Who is it? If it's from the firm, don't bother to answer. I'm too tired." Jack said resting his head on the back seat of the taxi.

"I have to answer, it's Mr. Santos."

"Mr. Santos? Is he crazy? We've just arrived."

"Let's hear what he got to say." Ennis said putting the mobile phone close to his right ear.

Jack sighed and stood closer to hear the conversation.

"Mr. Santos?" Ennis asked. Jack waited and for a few minutes all he heard were disturbed noises. It was impossible to understand, so Jack decided to observe his boyfriend's reactions.

Ennis would nod from time to time. And then mutter something in the lines of "Yes Sir," or "Of course, Mr. Santos." A few minutes later, he turned off the mobile phone and looked back at Jack.

"He's impatient to meet us."

"Where is he? Expecting us in our suite?" Jack asked annoyed. Ennis knew that because of the latest events, Jack would get annoyed rather easily lately.

"No. He's on the boulevard, walking around with his fiancé." Ennis realized they had arrived and paid the taxi driver. He stepped out of the cab to admire the hotel where they would be staying.

The famous Hotel Roosevelt wasn't that impressive on the first glance. But Ennis knew better than to judge by the look. The building standing in front of him was full with Hollywood history and those walls, if they could speak, would tell the most amazing stories. Ennis read in the brochure on the plane that the presentation of the first Academy Awards in 1929 had been held at the hotel. Even Marilyn Monroe had been a resident at the hotel, when her modeling career took of. Actually a number of people also claim to have seen her ghost dancing in the ballroom of the hotel.

"What do we really know about her?" Jack asked.

"About who?" Ennis asked confused.

"About Mr. Santos' fiancé, of course." Jack answered looking at him confused too.

"She's a well-known Spanish supermodel. The interesting part is that her father was a long time friend of Mr. Santos. They worked together sometime in the past. It's all I know, because Mr. Santos has forbidden us to investigate her past." He paused looking at Jack again. "Sorry, I was remembering something I've read about this hotel." Ennis said when they entered the main door.

"Are you scared about Marilyn's ghost?" Jack asked amused. The receptionist of the hotel raised an eyebrow to both of them.

"I guarantee you there's absolutely nothing to fear, Sir." The old man with grey hair and piercing blue eyes looked at Jack and his face lightened up with a smile. "Mr. Twist, long time no see."

"Yes, it's true. Elizabeth doesn't take me out to nice places such as this anymore." Jack said sarcastically.

"Good to know that Mrs. Noris has finally given you a chance to shine on your own." The man said.

"I'm happy too." He said, making a small smile.

"I wish you a very pleasant stay, Mr. Twist." He made a small bow and then looked at Ennis. "The same for you as well, Sir." They both answered with their "thank yous" and a few minutes later they were both relaxing in each other's company. Ennis was glad that Mr. Santos had, at last, agreed to meet them tomorrow morning.

* * *

"I didn't know you'd been here before, but I probably should have expected it." Ennis said, taking a sip of his drink. 

They were both seated at the hotel's bar. After a few minutes of talk in Jack's suite, both found out that they weren't that sleepy, only extremely weary, almost certainly as a result of jetlag.

"Elizabeth usually stays here when she has a case in Hollywood. And as you know, she's the lawyer in the firm with the most celebrity clients." He paused, observing his own drink. "Also, my father really likes this hotel. I don't know if you know, but the Roosevelt, it's an historic Spanish style hotel." Jack finished lamely.

"Do you remember what happened the last time we were having nice alcohol drinks in a hotel's bar?" Ennis said trying to changer the direction of the conversation. It helped because it looked as if a fire lit up in Jack's eyes.

It had been so long ago, or at least it felt that way for both of them. It was such a distant memory that they finally had started to make jokes about it. Especially Jack, about Ennis's inexperienced performance. There were no hard feelings anymore, in particular not about that night. Maybe about what happened after, but not about that night!

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Ennis." Jack said looking at him and smiling. The first real smile in a couple of weeks, Ennis thought.

"No?" Ennis said, pretending surprise. "Are you completely sure? Because I have a feeling I wasn't alone that night." He looked up as if trying to remember. "Maybe my mind is playing tricks on me." He moved his left hand to rest on Jack's hip.

Jack looked surprised for a moment. What the hell is Ennis' trying to do? He thought, observing him. Probably, he was trying to cheer him up. Maybe he was seducing him. Not that he needed it anymore, Jack thought.

But still, he should have at least, tried to resist, but it was far stronger than him. Ennis was right, this was exactly like on that night. Only this time it was meant to be better. Jack was sure Ennis would be there on the next morning, as usual.

He smiled and Ennis took his hand and pulled him slowly to the elevator, leaving a nice bill to pay the drinks. Ennis entered the elevator holding him near. Jack could see that his boyfriend was fighting hard not to make his winner's smile.

"I had a great time Jack. I can't remember the last time I had so much fun." Ennis said, looking at him in the eyes. Jack shivered. Those had been the exact same words Ennis had said on that night in Madrid.

"Someone is finally remembering something." Ennis said, whispering in Jack's ear.

"Really?" Jack asked. Ennis opened his mouth but nothing came out. That had been the question Jack made on the elevator that night. Jack moved closer, his eyes on Ennis's mouth. He was halfway there when the elevator doors opened.

In a second, they were both inside Ennis' suite, only because it was the closest one to the elevator. Jack waited for Ennis to kiss him but for some odd reason the blond man was looking at him expectantly. Ennis wondered if this had to be with their current foreplay. Were they still playing it? He was confused but he was too horny not to do what he wanted. He reached his hands on Ennis' neck and made him lean down for a kiss.

Ennis eagerly deepened the kiss and Jack realized that this was what Ennis wanted. Ennis was being seduced tonight and Jack was making the moves. It was not often that this would happen but Jack knew this should have something to do with their foreplay.

"I still trust you, Jack." Ennis whispered between kisses, moving them slowly to the bedroom. Jack tried to think, it wasn't easy to do it while Ennis was trying to strip him, but he managed to remember something being said about trust, on that night in Madrid.

"This is going to be different, you know?" Jack said when Ennis pushed him to the bed, laying underneath him.

"You have no idea." Ennis replied, taking off his own shirt and trousers.

Jack tried to ask something else, but another round of kisses and caresses took his mind away from anything else. Still he felt confused. Ennis was acting oddly tonight, almost as if submissive. Then the oddest idea passed through Jack's mind but he couldn't really believe in it.

His mind was taken back to reality when he felt that, Ennis tired of waiting, was stripping Jack of his boxers, leaving them both naked. Ennis and Jack looked at each other and Jack once again moved to stay on his hands and knees, on top of Ennis. Ennis locked his legs around Jack's waist. Their erections rocked together and they both moaned at the same time. Perfect timing as usual.

Ennis was kissing and biting Jack's neck, as usual, but Jack was still on top. Jack made their bodies move together for few more minutes, kissing Ennis' neck and teasing his nipples but he kept feeling Ennis's body holding him closer, obviously tempting him with an unspoken preposition. But Jack wanted to hear the words. He needed to hear them.

"Are you sure, Ennis?" Jack asked between gasps. Again, the exact same words of that night. But this time, they had a different meaning.

"I want you Jack…" Ennis said trying to breath, he hold Jack's head on his hands. "I want you inside me." Jack gulped. The words were said and he felt their power between them.

"I'll make it good, honey." Jack sounded a little afraid, as if this was somehow a test to their relationship.

"Don't treat me like a woman, baby…" Ennis said thrusting his erection against Jack's. "It's ridiculous, especially coming from you." Ennis said teasing.

"Glad to know you're still the man between us." Jack said smiling. He reached for the lube.

Jack started slowly, kneeling between Ennis legs, preparing him meticulously. Ennis hadn't expected anything else. Ennis was sure that Jack would try everything he could to turn this moment into some kind of perfect sweet lovemaking. He was sweet and sensible as a lover and Ennis liked that. He secretly had needed that for a long time.

"Just relax, honey." Jack said when he felt that Ennis was more than ready. Jack withdrew his three fingers and looked at Ennis in the eyes. He was sure he wanted to do this face to face. Jack reached for a pillow and positioned it behind Ennis's ass. He positioned his lubed cock in Ennis' entrance and took a deep breath.

"Baby, just do it." Ennis whispered as reassurance.

And then Jack started to move. Slowly, stopping every time Ennis would feel more than slightly discomfort. And when he was full inside, Jack waited, using all his mental strength not to move. He couldn't clearly remember when had been the last time he had topped. It wasn't as if he didn't like it, but his partners would usually only top, and Jack didn't care much. But right now he was regretting the lack of experience, fearing for his performance.

"Stop thinking, honey, it's me." Ennis said, looking at him.

All the blond man wanted was to be with Jack. Help him ease the pain he was feeling. And when his fingers touched his boyfriend's skin tonight, he felt it. The urgency of having what you need. The feeling that you can have something that you have unconsciously wanted for a very long time. He wanted Jack to have him.

"Just feel." Ennis whispered, again starting the movements.

As he had expected, Jack took him gentle and slowly. Hitting his prostate repeatedly and making Ennis scream his name a couple of times. Soon all the discomfort was gone and Ennis completely understood why Jack liked to bottom. It was different, but just as good. And they moved together, still more slowly than their usual lovemaking.

And when Jack felt his orgasm coming closer, he moved, so that he could stroke Ennis' cock and a few minutes later they both came together. Ennis whispered something that sounded like I love you and Jack fell on top of his boyfriend, breathing hard.

"Was it just me or that was strangely slow and long?" Ennis asked a few minutes later.

"I guess we both needed it." Jack said, sliding out of Ennis. He didn't slide off because Ennis held him near, and soon he was resting his head on Ennis's chest.

"You know, I've wanted this for some time." Ennis said, lazily caressing Jack's back.

"I never would have suspected it." Jack said, feeling sleep finally coming to him.

"I want us to be totally equals. I want to give you just as much as you give me. Of course, I know how we both prefer it, but from time to time, it's good to know we can switch. I honestly like to know that sometimes I can just let you take control." Ennis buried his nose in Jack's hair and Jack was sure his boyfriend was blushing and feeling rather stupid for what he just confessed. It was Ennis's way of dealing with topics he was still not totally comfortable with but that he somehow manages to confess to Jack.

"It's natural, Ennis. We're in love and we feel the need to give each other everything. God knows, I would give you the moon if I could." Jack felt a small kiss on his head. "It's pathetic sometimes, but there's no reason to be afraid." Jack paused, leaning on his elbow. "You gave me your whole self a few minutes ago and for both of us, that was another celebration of our love."

"You're such a girl sometimes." Ennis said laughing and Jack didn't complain, because he knew he was right. And right now, those words made Ennis feel better.

He leaned against Ennis's chest again and waited for sleep to claim him.

* * *

**Author: **_I really don't feel confident about my slash! It's the truth. And maybe because of that I only write about it every ten chapters. :P I always feel like is stupid or naïf, so I'm sorry if you felt the same. Write me back about it, maybe some tips would help me… LOL!_

_I'll be waiting to hear about your opinions! _

_**On the next chapter:**__ Ennis has a new case, the problem is that he has to choose between two very different ones! Jack finally has a definitive talk with his father. In the mean time, Elizabeth and Mary have a very sweet surprise for Jack. A chapter with many interesting reflections! _


	21. Reflecting about me and you

_**Author's Note: **__Thank you so very much for my friend _Kathy (**kittie8571**_) who is the Beta of this story! _

_Thank you everybody for the reviews! Especially to _Jada91, sweetjg, mia, April, sytle, Ana, WCUGirl _and _VP.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty One****: Reflecting about me and you **

"What an obnoxious woman!" Jack said as soon as they entered the taxi. Ennis just looked at him and smiled.

"I wasn't expecting anything else. I was just surprised that she is quite rich herself. Why would she decide to marry him?"

"We're not really giving love a chance, are we?" Jack said, still annoyed.

"Sorry, but in this case, I would rather not. This woman isn't in love with him, you could tell. I'm sincerely afraid for Mr. Santos."

"We'll do everything we can to protect his patrimony."

"I'm more worried about his feelings. He's truly in love, Jack." Ennis said shaking his head.

"There's no way we can prevent this. Like you just said, he's in love, he wants to marry her. He won't listen to us or anybody else."

"I hate when you know something bad is about to happen and you can prevent it. Should we at least investigate her?" Ennis asked.

"What difference does it make? She's the daughter of an old friend. The man passed away a few years ago, so our client knows about her past. She's an international model with a great deal of money. There won't be any financial problems. Even if we find something out, Mr. Santos would be so angry with us, he probably wouldn't listen."

"You're right. There's nothing more we can do."

The taxi stopped in front of the Hotel Roosevelt. Jack paid the taxi driver and soon they entered the main doors.

"You know, Ennis? I haven't stayed more than five minutes in my own suite."

"Are you complaining?" Ennis asked as Jack waved to the receptionist.

"What do you think? I was only thinking it's a waste of money. We should ask for only one room next time." Jack said flirting and Ennis wondered how long Jack's good mood would last.

"We're not a married couple. The firm won't recognize us as a couple unless we get married."

"Still, it's a waste of the firm's money." Jack entered the elevator and looked in the mirror. "We still have a couple of hours until we need to leave. Do you want to try the famous poll?"

"The one where Marilyn did her first photo shoot?" Ennis asked.

"Ennis, you really should stop reading those damn airplane brochures!" Jack answered, rolling his eyes and soon they were both laughing.

* * *

Ennis arrived at his apartment carrying his bag and a few gifts he had bought for Veronica and Lucia. He spent his last hours in Hollywood shopping with Jack, trying to relax a bit before taking another case. 

He had been wondering about this for the last few hours. Jack was going to take the week off because of Robert, and with Enrique's illness, he didn't know if Jack would accept a case anytime sooner. The members of the board had given him a nice number of options. Contrary to Enrique's opinion, a great number of members were pleased with Ennis's performance in court. They wanted him to take another important case. The only problem was that Ennis was uncertain of which of the two cases he should pick.

The one Jack preferred was a robbery/lawsuit case with a Hollywood celebrity. Mr. Dudgeon was one of the firm's oldest clients, and owner of many jewelry stores all over the country. His grandfather had been one of the firm's first clients. The case was rather unusual and Ennis only considered it because it would let him stay in New York. A famous Hollywood actress, Madelyn Webber, borrowed three pieces of jewelry worth $123,300 from Dudgeon's jewelry line for a social party last year, but they were never returned. Madelyn admitted recently that she lost the jewels at the party. When faced with the eminent lawsuit from Mr. Dungeon, her lawyers argued that the clasp was defective and that the bracelet fell off her wrist and onto the ground.

The other case that appealed to Ennis was an interesting murder case in Arizona. A young woman, just 18 years old, was accused of shooting dead both her parents. It all started when the young Nikita Bolton fell for 23-year-old Marcos Carreira. The undocumented Mexican immigrant apparently was not the boyfriend Nikita's parents, who lived in the richest neighborhood in Phoenix, envisioned for their daughter. Nikita was resorted to secret trysts with her lover. A few days after the murder, the Boltons tracked Nikita down at Carreira's home and threatened to file statutory rape charges against him. Ennis would be in charge of Nikita's defense.

Ennis would love to work on Nikita's case. A woman of her age accused of murder was not common and Ennis would love to explore all the possibilities, even considering he would probably lose. It was a marvelous challenge for him. The only problem was the fact that Ennis would need to travel to Arizona as soon as possible and stay there for at least a few weeks. He was aware that Jack needed him in New York. He wouldn't ask, but Ennis was sure he would want him to stay.

"Ennis? Are you ok?" Veronica's voice woke him from his small trance. Ennis realized that he was still holding his key, and the door was still closed. He was frozen in thought.

"Sorry. I was just thinking about my next case. Guess I really need to rest." He looked at her and opened the door. "Come on in. I have something for you."

Ennis heard the usual meow of his cat and realized that Neve had followed Veronica to Ennis' apartment.

"Did you miss me? I'm not going to leave you with Veronica so soon." Ennis told the white cat as he pet him.

"I heard you a few minutes ago and I couldn't resist. I wanted to know everything about your Hollywood trip. Also Neve must have smelled you, because he was jumping from couch to couch nonstop."

"Bad cat, destroying Veronica's beautifully designed home." Ennis said, smiling at Veronica.

"Anyway, how was it? Did you see any celebrities? Was it romantic?" She asked helping him with the bags.

"I didn't see any famous celebrities, but we did stay at the Hotel Roosevelt and yes, it was romantic." Ennis tried not to look her in the eye. He was sure she would tease him about it.

"Hotel Roosevelt? Is it famous?" She teased, smiling at Ennis's embarrassment, who didn't notice because he was still trying to find something inside of a bag.

"Yes, it seems that most people believe that the ghost of Marilyn Monroe lives there."

"Are you joking? And you didn't see any celebrities?" She asked again, still not convinced. "I bet you were busy looking at _something_ else."

"Since you are so interested in celebrities, you'll be interested to know that my next case involves Madelyn Webber." Ennis told her, enjoying the shocked look on her face.

"Really? You're going to be her lawyer on the jewelry case?"

"Not really. I'm working with Mr. Dudgeon." Ennis said, slightly apologetic.

"I'm going to kill you. I love her! She's amazing in all her movies and if I know you well enough, you're going to destroy her public image." Veronica glared at Ennis, who tried hard not to laugh.

"Don't be like that. She might even be innocent." Ennis replied, moving Neve to his lap. "But, to make you feel better, I have something for you. It's not something expensive, but I really liked it and I wanted to thank you for all your help with Neve." Ennis handed Veronica a very small pink box.

She smiled at him and started to open it.

"You shouldn't have. I love Neve, but because of work on the hospital I can't keep a cat. It's almost as if we share him." She looked at the box again. Inside it was a beautiful scarf, a mix of different pink colors, with golden reflections. It wasn't formal but it looked quite expensive. Veronica loved it.

"It's beautiful, Ennis." She said smiling.

"Jack helped me pick it. I bought another for Lucia, much simpler, in a blue color."

"Lucia? The woman who helps you with the cleaning?" She asked while examining the scarf.

"Yes. Do you know her?" Ennis started moving to the kitchen, while Veronica tried on her new scarf. "Do you want coffee? I'm making tea for myself."

"No, tea is fine, Ennis." She entered the kitchen and leaned against the door. "I saw her, a couple of times, on the elevators."

"She's a very nice woman, but tell me, how're things at the hospital? Have you managed to get the new doctor's phone number?"

Veronica smiled and the two friends caught up for a few more hours. Ennis found that he truly liked Veronica's gossip. He never took interest in gossip about colleagues in the firm, but when Veronica would tell him about the latest gossip in the hospital, it was almost as if he was watching a TV show about doctors. He just loved it.

* * *

Jack stared at the old tree standing in front of him. For many years he had played around it, so many times he had run across these gardens, so many times he had watched the clouds in the sky and heard the bird singing in the trees. So many times he had been happy here in his childhood. And now, all he could think of was how much longer he would still call this place his father's house. 

For the last few weeks, Jack suffered in silence, mot even letting Ennis know the true extent of his pain. He denied it; he screamed in frustration and he had felt depressed, but he had yet to accept that his father was leaving his life forever. It's common sense to say that no one is ever ready to lose someone that he truly loves, but Jack was surprised by how much it could hurt.

Uncle Daniel and Ennis were constantly by his side, but the pain would wait until he was alone to sink further into his heart. Lately Jack wondered if the anticipation could possibly hurt more than the act which was about to happen.

"Hello son." Enrique appeared from the other side of the garden. "Ann told me you were here."

"Hi dad." Jack looked at his father and from the moment his eyes locked with his father's, Jack felt all the things he had planned to say vanish from his mind. He was crushed with the power of the emotions that he kept locked inside for the last couple of weeks and for a few minutes, all he could do was cry in his father's arms.

"Oh, my son. Why didn't you let me keep you away from all this pain? Why did you have to be so stubborn?" Enrique hugged his only son. Jack pulled away and looked at him, not only with pain in his eyes, but also with anger and frustration.

"How could you think that I would prefer to be left in the dark? You're my father, my only family, my hero…" Jack paced around and tryned to control his emotions. "I needed to know, I _had _to know!"

"You can't understand Jack. You're not a father. This pain you're feeling right now, it's all, my fault. It's because of me! Preventing this situation was my only intention and I failed miserably."

"I'm your son. We're supposed to share this pain. I know that I dedicated these last few years to the firm, but we're still father and son. You should have come to me for help and support. Do you have any idea how bad that had made me feel? I feel like the worst son on the planet."

"It was never my intention, Jack. You know I want the best for you." Enrique placed his hand on Jack's shoulder.

"The best for me is to be with you." Jack turned around so that he was facing his father. "Let me help you cope with this. Give me a chance to say and do a proper goodbye." Tears were falling from his eyes.

"I'll do whatever is best for you, son. But I meant it when I said I wanted to deal with this in my own way."

"Then please accept the psychiatric treatment, dad. We can even go together to the appointments. Just please tell me you're going to do it."

"I'm not mental, Jack." Enrique snapped. "I can deal with this by myself."

"I know that, but you need help. God knows, I need it too. Let's help each other, like any normal family." Jack was almost pleading.

"I'll think about it son, but only because I don't want you to feel even worse than you do now." He looked at Jack. "But for the record, _none _of this is your fault. You are and always have been the best son a man could ask for." Enrique murmured and father and son cried even more in each other's arms.

* * *

Ennis was looking at the big mirror in his bedroom, wondering why he had chosen to wear the blue polo again. He didn't do it on purpose, but sometimes he felt the need to express his feelings in a silent way. If he didn't find the strength to say it, he would find a way to show it. It was something that he had been doing since he was a kid. He would rather touch his mother's hand than say thanks, sit on his father's lap when he wanted to talk about school, and he would bring a sandwich to his uncle when he wanted to go riding on the horses. It was something that the people close to him understood and Ennis had learned, with time, to accept his own silent ways. 

He knew that lately Jack had started to pick up on some of his habits, but the blue polo had been the first silent _I love you _between them. And today he was wearing it again. He was saying, I love you and I want to be with you, in his own way. He smiled again, looking in the mirror. Maybe after the night in Hollywood, it was only natural that he wanted to wear the blue polo for the rest of the week. The thought made him blush and he felt the urge to laugh at the sappy moment.

Ennis looked at his silver watch, 7 pm. Jack would be arriving at any minute. He decided to wait in the living room since he was ready to leave as soon as Jack arrived. Neve was sleeping on the floor, snoring loudly for such a small animal. He tried to relax, clearing his mind of any though, but that was the moment when the phone rang. Ennis groaned, and moved to pick up the phone.

"Hello?" Ennis recognized the familiar voice. It was one of the ranch keepers that worked for him.

"Yeah, it's me, Mr. Gorman."

"Sorry to call you. We know you have a pretty busy life, Ennis. But I was worried."

"Is there something wrong at the ranch?"

"No, Ennis, no. Everything's fine. Actually, the ranch is prospering. I was just calling to confirm that you had received the fax that I sent you, and I can see now that you didn't."

"No, I didn't. Anything important? Do you guys need extra money?"

"No, Ennis, like I said, the ranch is fine. What I sent you was an offer to buy the ranch."

"An offer?" Ennis was surprised.

"Yes. A rich European guy that wanted to buy a ranch in Texas was interested in buying the Del Mar ranch."

"I see. Did you send the fax to the number I sent you last month?"

"No. I completely forgot. Deacon is going to kill me! Sorry Ennis, my mistake."

"No worries. Just send it to me as soon as possible. Did this guy tell you when he needed an answer?"

"Not really, Ennis. But he's staying in a small house in town. We can talk with him if you want."

"Yeah, that would be a good idea." Ennis didn't say anything, thinking for a second. "I'm not really interested in selling, Mr. Gorman, but I'm interested in knowing how much this man would give for it."

"Good to know, Ennis. And if you're really not interested in selling it, I have a few improvements in mind that could be done. Maybe even finding another man to help with the chores." The doorbell rang and Ennis knew it was Jack.

"Well, I have to go now, but I promise we'll talk about that soon."

"Bye, Ennis."

"Bye, Mr. Gorman and regards to Mr. Deacon."

Ennis hung up the phone and went to open the door. Jack was standing in front of him.

"Hi, honey." Jack kissed him softly, his forehead coming to rest on Ennis's shoulder. "You're wearing it again." Ennis could feel Jack smelling his scent against his neck and he smiled.

"Come on in, baby." Ennis held him closely and moved to the living room. "How was it?" Ennis asked worriedly as they sat down on the couch.

"Not bad. We actually talked this time." Jack sighed and leaned closer. "He's doing his best not to push me away."

"Did you talk about the psychiatric treatment?" Ennis asked, rubbing his boyfriend's arm slightly.

"Yes but he's still not convinced." Jack looked away, as if hurt by the words he had just said. "He's so worried about me and my feelings, it's irrational."

"It's difficult for us to understand his position. If…" Ennis paused, trying to find the right words. "If it was you, wouldn't you want your dad to be happy and safe, when you…" He couldn't say the rest. There was a brief silence and Ennis could feel Jack taking in the meaning of Ennis's words.

"I guess so. Yeah." Jack whispered softly and Ennis looked at him, fighting the urge to be silent.

"You know, my sociology teacher told me something I never forgot. _If you want to understand someone, anyone, you need to put yourself in his shoes._ It works with everyone but I think you should consider seeing things this way with your dad." Jack looked at him and nodded silently. Ennis understood the meaning. This topic was over, at least for now.

"Aren't we late?" Jack asked, standing up from the couch.

"I guess Elizabeth and Mary won't mind." Ennis said, petting the sleepy Neve on the floor and following Jack to the front door.

"Come on! I can't wait to see Sophie again."

And with that, the door was closed and the apartment was once again silent, with the exception of Neve's loud snores.

* * *

"… and then we found the bodies without a single tooth." Mary said to Ennis, who was completely lost in her tale. 

"Can we change the subject?" Jack said looking at Elizabeth for back up. "I can't hear about any more murder cases that you two helped to solve." Jack pointed at Ennis and Mary in disgust.

"I'm with you, Jack. Thank God Sophie can't understand a word of what you two have been saying." Elizabeth held the baby close to her and kissed her on the head.

"I was really enjoying it. I never thought Mary would have so many murder cases on her resume." Ennis said, looking impressed.

"I must confess that they are my favorites, but it's rare to have a good one to solve. It's the unfairness of being a private detective." Mary said, caressing her drink.

They were all sitting in Elizabeth's garden, admiring the night and having one last drink. Ennis had been curious about the reasons of the dinner, but up until that moment, there had been no clues and Jack, worried about his talk with his father, had been more silent than usual.

"They are my favorites too. It's my expertise, or at least, I hope it will become." Ennis smiled shyly.

"No need to be modest. We all know your work. But does this mean you'll take murder case in Arizona? The one with the young Nikita?" Mary asked curiously.

Jack moved quickly and looked at Ennis. He had been worried about the possibility of having to watch Ennis move away to work on a case on the other side of the country. He knew he needed him close. Even if he didn't have the right to ask, he needed it. Ennis flashed him a smile and Jack felt relief wash over him.

"No. I'm taking another case. The Madelyn Webber jewelry case."

"You're no fun, Ennis." Mary said looking at Elizabeth. "These young lawyers and their appetite for fame."

"It's a good case. And you can make a lot of money for the firm." Elizabeth said seriously.

"It's good to know you care for me so much." Ennis said, pretending that Elizabeth had hurt his feelings.

"I am your godmother. It's my job to remind you of your obligation to the firm."

"Well, after this one I'm going to pick one I truly enjoy, godmother." Ennis said smiling.

"Talking about godmothers…" Elizabeth looked at Mary. "There was a reason for this dinner and I've been dying to tell you Jack, but Mary made me promise we would keep it a secret until the last minute." She looked at Jack and smiled. "Jack, how would you feel about being Sophie's godfather?"

Ennis was surprised while Jack looked as if he was going to cry, which he did a few moments later.

"Of course, you won't be her official godfather, in a religious way. But we will give a small party and you would sign some papers. In case anything happens with us, you would be the official guardian of Sophie." Elizabeth looked at Sophie on her lap. "It's a lot of responsibility, I know. So I'm giving you the time you need to make a decision."

Ennis looked at Jack, who was looking at Sophie in the most caring way and he understood. Those tears on Jack's eyes were tears of happiness. There was no need to think, he was going to say yes.

"My decision is made, Beth. I'm going to accept." He took a deep breath. "This was the best thing you could do for me."

Elizabeth smiled and put Sophie in Jack's lap.

"Thank you, Jack. I'm so happy you've accepted. You're perfect for the role." Elizabeth said. Jack felt Ennis's hand on his shoulder. His other hand came to rest on his boyfriend's. He was glad for this small moment of happiness.

"So, now I'm going to be the male figure in Sophie's life." Jack said, half asking, half stating.

"In your dreams…" Mary murmured and Ennis laughed.

And Ennis looked at the three other people in the room. There was a connection between them. They were friends. They knew a lot of each other's secrets and they were all lonely people with a desire of to be happy.

Elizabeth, with her struggle between what should be and what is. The eternal battle between her and society's wishes. She was a perfectionist, a role model to everyone but she still couldn't see that some of her faults were some of her best qualities too. She was, only now, taking the first steps to be totally herself for the very first time, fighting to forget an entire life of skirmishing.

And then there was Mary with her. A woman with very few fears, a true warrior in every sense of the word. She was so proud of every decision she had made in life that even a stranger could see her glorious scars. The confidence she shows can only hide what very few know. She's desperately afraid of losing the only battle that truly matters to her: the love of Elizabeth Noris. But, unlike what many others would do, her fear only made her fight more fiercely. Mary Bingley was a powerful warrior but also a careful general.

And then there was also Jack. The man he had truly desired since the first time he had seen him. He could remember, because he still felt that way most of the time, the way he would catch his breath, without knowing, looking at the man. But if it was desire his body had felt, it had been love that his heart had found. Love that could only be explained with things he truly didn't understand. The connection they shared, from that very first moment, was unique and incredible and Ennis couldn't explain it to anyone else. Jack was not perfect, he had many faults. He trusted people too much, he had a problem with saying no, he liked perfection at work but at home, he couldn't make his own bed. There were so many other things that Ennis knew about Jack's faults, but they were all a part of Jack, a result of what he had learned, of what he had experienced before. Ennis had no problem accepting that.

He had accepted Jack, Elizabeth and Mary because he had felt the goodness in them and later he had seen the conviction of their actions. He had slowly trusted them with his secrets, with his life, and only now he could see why.

They were already the closest thing he had to a family.

* * *

**Author: **_I felt the need to write about Ennis feelings, it was important for me. Also Jack and Enrique needed to talk again. I thought this chapter would turn out to be a bit boring but in the end I really liked it!_

_I'm sorry for the delay in the updates but I AM OFFICIALLY IN HOLLYDAYS! So next month I'll be on the beach, reading the new Potter book! Still I intent to post my chapter, but probably only one every week! I must apology to all my dear readers!_

_**On the next chapter:**__ Robert finally arrives in N.Y. and brigs with him a couple of odd stories about Jack, to humour of the entire party. Jack thinks about a pretty hard decision that will strongly affect his future. And why does everybody keeps warning Ennis about the dangers of his new case?_


	22. Robert Martin's confidences

_**Author's Note: **__Thank you so very much for my friend _Kathy (**kittie8571**_) who is the Beta of this story! _

_Thank you everybody for the reviews! Especially to _**grlewis**, **120cassie**, **WCUGirl** _and _**Lil-Lyon**.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty Two: Robert Martin's confidences **

Jack was getting tired of waiting. The flight that Robert was on had been delayed for another half hour. He hated delays. Some things should be done right on time.

He looked at Ennis. His boyfriend was reading a sports newspaper. He looked as relaxed as ever, legs crossed, newspaper on his lap, eyes moving from line to line as his fingers carefully turned the pages. He was in another world, and Jack was tired of waiting.

"How can you be so relaxed?" Jack asked and Ennis looked up from the newspaper with raised brows.

"_Should_ I be nervous?"

"No." Jack replied, annoyed.

"Sorry. I forgot you hate to wait." Ennis closed the newspaper and looked at Jack. "You can't wait to see him."

"He's a great friend. We haven't sees each other in years."

"He'll be here in a few minutes. try to forget that you're waiting."

"I can't." Jack shifted in his seat. "Perhaps he tricked us into believing he was arriving today."

"Why would he do that?" Ennis asked.

"I've told you about the pranks!"

"Elizabeth also warned me, but I don't believe he would do such a thing right now."

"I'm going to kill him for this."

"Let's change the subject. Did you think about your present to Sophie? You're going to be her godfather and Elizabeth said the party will be soon."

"I have a few ideas in mind. Do you think Robert will stay for the party if I ask him?"

"How should I know? You need to ask him. But if he's on vacation, he could probably could for another week."

"Elizabeth will help me convince him. But how was your morning? Are you enjoying the case?"

"I passed the whole morning reading papers. Mr. Dudgeon sent me _a lot _of files this morning. I'm using most of Thurston's lawyers to work on the investigation. By Wednesday I should have enough evidence to prove that Madelyn Webber is mentally ill." Ennis smirked.

"_She_ may be stupid, but her lawyers are pretty good. Tough competition for you."

"I'm more worried about the jury. Even Veronica is her fan! How can they be impartial?"

"She's a great actress, just not a very good person. You need to show that to the jury."

"Yes, but I need to do it in a subtle way. Not my best skill."

"Why don't you use one of the young lawyers on your team? Maybe a woman."

"They are good at investigating, but they don't have much experience in court. Anyway, I prefer to see this as a challenge, and I'll try my best."

"You'll do great. Just try not to send anyone to jail."

"It's not my fault that these rich guys have so many dark secrets."

"Just be careful." Jack said and Ennis nodded. They sat in silence for another minute, until Jack moved closer and talked again.

"There's another thing on my mind. I would have preferred to speak with you somewhere else, but I need to share this with you." Jack looked at Ennis seriously. "It's about my father. I think I want to move to his house, at least for a while. I want to be closer to him. The idea came to me this morning and I can't stop thinking that it's the best thing to do."

"I understand, but do you think he's going to like it? He may feel you want to control him."

"Yes, but I talked with Uncle Daniel this morning and he doesn't know how long Dad's going to stay stable. He's already taking drugs for the pain, and when things get worse, he'll stay in the hospital." Jack took a deep breath. "I want to be with him as long as I can. And he needs me with him."

"I think you should do what your heart tells you to do. I'll support your decisions."

"Thanks, honey." Jack held Ennis's hand tightly and the blond man looked at the floor, but held it back just as tight.

* * *

"Jack! Look at you! You look great." Robert said as he hugged his best friend. 

"Thanks, Rob. You look great too. Can't remember ever seeing you with long hair." Jack said, admiring the difference.

"Do you like it?" Robert asked, passing his hand through the messy brown locks.

"It's not my style…"

"Thank God! That must mean girls are going to love it." Robert said smiling and Jack rolled his eyes.

"Robert, this is my boyfriend, Ennis." Jack said, motioning to Ennis.

"Nice to meet you, Ennis. I've read a lot about you. I was quite eager to meet you." Robert shook his hand and then hugged him. Ennis was surprised with how at ease the man was.

"Nice to meet you too." Ennis said, feeling a little shy.

Robert moved closer to Jack and the two friends engaged in a relaxed conversation. Ennis took the opportunity to observe Robert carefully.

He was a tall man, slightly taller than Jack. His arms and face had a natural tan and the white circles around his eyes matched the round sunglasses hanging on the collar of his shirt. He was dressed casually and the color of his sweatpants didn't really match his shirt. He had brown eyes and brown hair, big hands and big hairy brows.

Robert looked British, with his pointy nose and his expressive hands, but there was something else about him. The way he looked kinda sloppy and his eccentric humor made him fall in the Iberian category. Ennis, who genuinely liked to observe people, was intrigued. He had guessed Robert was Italian-American but maybe he had been wrong. Nevertheless, he had started to like the man.

"So, Ennis, how is it putting up with Jack?" Robert asked, starting to push his trolley, which was full with bags. Ennis noticed there were far too many bags for someone who was only staying one week.

"Actually, most of the time, he puts up with me." Ennis said smiling.

"A perfect gentleman, I see." Robert shook his head and looked at Jack. "Jack should have told you that I know _all_ about him. Specially the dirt!" Robert looked at Ennis again. "You can share your pain with me. No one would understand you better." Ennis laughed.

"Rob, stop tormenting him." Jack said, resting his hand on Robert shoulder. "We waited two hours for you. Ennis didn't even have lunch. Be nice!"

"Ennis knows this is not because of him. But tell me Ennis, did Elizabeth turn all of you into starving slaves now that she's going to marry, or is there another reason for your missed lunch?"

"I'm working on a very new case and I wanted to be here when your plane arrived. But don't worry, I got a couple of sandwiches while I was waiting." Ennis answered when they arrived at his car.

"I knew it. Jack's only trying to make me feel bad." Robert said, smiling at Ennis. "Wait, but this is not your car, Jack! Unless you're no longer gay."

"It's Ennis's." Jack said, climbing into the front seat, pretending he hadn't heard the last comment.

"Nice choice. I prefer jeeps but a BMW Z4 is always nice to look at." Robert said, sitting in the back seat.

"Thank you, Robert. Do you know much about cars?"

"Not really. My specialty is animals and nature. I've learned a lot in these last few years." Robert answered.

"You should see Ennis's cat. The most intelligent thing I've ever seen."

"It's not really that difficult to impress you, Jack." Robert laughed. "But does this mean we're driving to Ennis's place?"

"No. Sorry, Robert. I'm driving both of you to Jack's apartment. I have work to do at the firm, but we'll see each other again at dinner at Elizabeth's house." Ennis turned the ignition.

"Sorry to hear. I guess this means Jack and I are going to clean the old place all by ourselves."

"Thank God Matilda is going to help us." Jack said smiling. "I can't remember the last time someone _alive_ entered your old apartment."

"Probably not long before you had your last girlfriend." Robert said, and Ennis's eyes widened a little

"You know Robert, that's a myth. Jack Twist never really _had_ a girlfriend." Jack replied proudly, and Ennis and Robert laughed together.

* * *

Ennis entered the firm's elevator still thinking about Robert Martin. Since he had arrived in New York, Ennis had met so many different people that he had thought he had seen it all. But Robert was something else. There was something about the way he connected with people that was intriguing to Ennis. 

"Well, well, if it isn't the famous Ennis Del Mar." A familiar voice said and Ennis looked quickly to the elevator door to find Frederic Dawson standing in front of him.

"How have you been Frederic?" Ennis asked, pretending he didn't notice the tone of disdain in the other man's voice.

"Not as well as I should be." the blond man answered mysteriously. Ennis watched him entering the elevator and decided to stay silent for as long as possible.

"I heard you're taking the Madelyn Webber case."

"Actually, for me, it's the Mr. Dudgeon's case." Ennis was forced to amend. They were silent for a few more seconds, expecting the elevator to reach the upper level.

"I can't wait to see how long it will take for Madelyn Webber to make you look like a fool." Fredric said when the doors opened. "Be careful, lover boy. This case might be too much for you to handle."

Ennis was furious. Every cell of his body wanted to explode in anger but he wouldn't give the blond man that pleasure. He wouldn't play his game, giving Enrique another reason to dislike him. Taking a deep breath, Ennis observed Frederic moving away and when the door was ready to close again, he took a step forward and walked to his office.

Mrs. Campbell, his secretary, looked up from her computer and gave him a worried look.

"Mr. Del Mar! Mr. Dudgeon is already waiting for you. I told him you were expecting the arrival of a very important expert. I'm sure you understand why I was forced to lie." She whispered the last part and Ennis nodded gratefully. "I also brought him coffee and sent in one of the younger female lawyers of your team." She gave him a knowing look and Ennis, trying to forget the incident with Frederic, smiled back.

"I truly don't remember how I used to survive as an attorney without you, Mrs. Campbell. God must have sent his favorite angel to save me." Ennis teased the old woman, who shook her head.

"Flattery won't get you anywhere, Mr. Del Mar. I'm afraid you're spending too much time with one Mr. Jack Twist."

"Am I that transparent?"

"Only for an old woman with excellent eyes and a desk in front of your office."

"Thank God for that Mrs. Campbell." Ennis said opening the door.

Inside the office was as usual. His desk was full of files and photocopies, the board in the wall full with pictures of the jewels and newspaper articles with Madelyn Webber. He was still in the investigation stage and that was the messier stage of the whole process. Mr. Dudgeon was seated in one of the chairs at the front of his desk, drinking his coffee from a mug with the Magnet logo. On his left side, a young black woman, who Ennis identified as Miss Reich, was showing him some minor files related to the case. Once more, Ennis felt grateful for Mrs. Campbell.

"Mr. Dudgeon, good afternoon." He said, standing in front of him and shaking his hand. "I'm completely sorry to have made you wait on me. But serious matters related to the case needed my attention. I'm sure my secretary informed you." Ennis said, sitting down in his chair.

"Yes, Mr. Del Mar, I had been informed." Mr. Dudgeon said calmly. The man didn't seem annoyed at all and Ennis relaxed.

"I believe Miss. Reich has already informed you of some of our developments." Ennis said, looking at the rather young woman.

"Yes, and I was surprised with some of the results of the investigation. Even if not completely confirmed yet, this information is going to help."

"Our main concern is the celebrity status of Madelyn Webber. Everyone knows she drinks too much and most of the time she's breaking laws." Ennis took a few files and gave them to Mr. Dudgeon. "I can easily prove that. The problem is that the jury may forgive her, considering she's close to their hearts."

"I guess I can understand that."

"She's also very manipulative and has, in the past, in circumstances similar to this, proven to have a great capacity to convince the members of the jury of her total innocence."

"Mr. Del Mar, I didn't ask the firm to work with you because you looked good on television. I asked you because you seemed the kind of guy who could force the truth out of Madelyn Webber!" He said, surprising Miss. Reich, who opened her mouth and then closed it repeatedly.

"Yes." Ennis said, smiling. "That would be me, Mr. Dudgeon."

* * *

Jack arrived at Elizabeth's house feeling completely tired. He had been so tired that he tried to convince Robert to drive his car to Elizabeth's house, but the stubborn friend refused to drive such a "gay" vehicle, using those exact words. 

As soon as Elizabeth's governess, Monique, opened the door, Jack fell on the couch and watched as Elizabeth introduced her fiancé and Sophie to Robert. Mary didn't seem to take much of a liking to Robert, but still made small talk and managed to hear a few stupid stories about the time when Robert was still living in New York and Elizabeth was Jack's teacher in the university.

Jack, feeling the strength returning to his legs, stolod up next to them and took Sophie in his arms.

"You girls are probably wondering how Robert has managed to look presentable tonight." Jack said to Elizabeth and Mary. "Well, at least Elizabeth must be wondering." Jack amended, smiling.

"How predictable. A joke about my fashion taste. How straight of you!" Robert said jokingly.

"We went to do some cleaning in Robert's old apartment with Matilda, and he got his clothes all dirty, so because all his clothes were still packed in his bags, he's actually wearing some of _my_ clothes."

"I'm sorry, Robert, but if it wasn't for Jack, I would have asked sooner or later." She carefully touched the fabric of his trousers. "This is actually Hugo Boss's spring collection, and you have no idea what I'm talking about."

"I know what it means. It means my last hopes of remaining a straight male are probably vanished forever."

"You can always try to defend your honor by trying to seduce Monique, the only nonlesbian woman living in this house. I'm afraid the rest of the maids are already gone." Jack said, and Mary laughed.

"That would have been entertaining." Mary said, moving to the other side of the living room. "Does anyone want a drink? I'm drinking a scotch myself."

The others declined and Mary moved away, leaving Jack and Robert to their mutual verbal banter and Elizabeth to laugh at both of them. She heard steps behind her and looked back to see that Ennis had arrived at the exact moment.

"Hello, Ennis." She said shaking his hand casually, something Ennis couldn't help but to find odd about. "Do you want a scotch?"

"I usually don't drink before dinner, but today I deserve the exception." Ennis answered and Mary immediately prepared him the drink.

"Eliza told me about your new case." Mary said, taking a sip of her drink. "I had a couple of cases involving Madelyn Webber too, in one way or another, and let me tell you, that woman is an insane bitch." Mary smirked. "But then, all of the women in her business are the same. If you're interested I can send you the material I've got."

"That would be amazing." Ennis was truly grateful. "I didn't ask you sooner because I was afraid you were too busy to work with me on this case."

"Ennis, we don't know each other that well, but you're Eliza's godson and that gives you the right to ask me for any favors you may need. Especially about any data you may require." She smiled again. "I have an incredible store system and a very lazy secretary, so don't hesitate."

Ennis smiled back and they both moved to the living room. Jack and Robert were still making Elizabeth laugh hard.

"Look who I found." Mary said when they arrived.

"Hi, honey." Jack said kissing him as well as he could, considering he had Sophie in his arms.

"Hi, baby and hi everybody." Ennis said feeling relaxed. He always felt comfortable when he was around Elizabeth and Jack.

"Hard day, kid?" Elizabeth asked, observing him.

"No, everything is going fine. The firm was rather empty without you two, but everyone managed to survive."

"Good thing you've arrived Ennis," Robert said smiling, "Because I was remembering the most interesting stories about Jack's adolescence."

"Believe me, you don't want to know." Jack said shaking his head.

"That sounds intriguing." Ennis said and Mary looked interested too.

"Alright then, let's move to the dining room. Dinner is served." Elizabeth said, forcing them to move along. "And Jack, can you give Sophie to Monique? It's getting late for her, she needs to go to bed."

"Ok, just a second then." Jack said disappearing trough a door.

"Anyway, as I was saying…" Robert started as they arrived in the dining room. "Jack was fifteen years old. Back in that time, we weren't best friends, we were more like acquaintances, but everyone knew Jack Twist in school. No doubt he was the most popular guy." Robert said, smiling at the memory.

"Please, Robert, that's not a story -- that's a personal trauma." Jack said when he arrived at the table.

"Stop being a drama queen, it doesn't suit you." Elizabeth said and Ennis tried not to laugh.

"Well, at that time, some of the older guys planned a major party and of course, Jack Twist and Robert Martin were invited. No big surprise for us. The party was great, good music, lots of alcohol and beautiful girls." Robert paused and Jack shook his head at the memory.

"What Jack Twist didn't know back than was that he didn't deal well with alcohol. Long story short, by the end of the night, he was so drunk he ended up making out with the _ugliest_ girl I had ever seen." The whole party laughed and Jack shook his head again. "The problem was that the girl didn't want to accept that Jack didn't want anything more to do with her after that night, so she persued him for the rest of his school years."

"I still don't remember a thing about that night." Jack confessed. "Just the thought of it makes me feel like throwing up."

"I was in the room when they told you. Your face was priceless." Robert said laughing at the memory.

"I think I actually _did _throw up the first time I heard." Jack said.

"An invaluable memory of Jack's few heterosexual experiences." Robert said dramatically.

"God, I've missed you." Elizabeth said still laughing. "Please tell me you're going to stay for Sophie's little party. It's going to be fun, I promise."

"Of course, I will. I wouldn't miss it for anything in the world."

"That's great. I was going to ask you myself." Jack said to Robert.

Monique appeared with the delicious dinner and the five adults began to eat silently.

"You know who I miss here Jack?" Robert asked smiling.

"No. Do tell me."

"That small group of friends you used to have, from the university. The two brunette gays, the chubby one and the geeky guy."

"I know who you're talking about." Jack said shaking his head. "I still went out sometimes with the Thomas boys. They got married a few times after we graduated. But these last few months, all we do is share e-mails. The same for Clegg, and Faulkner is back living in England."

"I remember Dean and William, very good students. Didn't know they'd gotten married." Elizabeth said surprised.

"Now it's Mr. and Mr. Thomas. I went to the wedding many years ago." Jack said and then looked at Robert again. "We could ask them to have dinner with us one of these days, maybe ask Clegg to come along. I've wanted to introduce them to Ennis."

"I'd like that, Jack." Ennis said, and was confused by the worried look Jack was giving him.

"Then it's settled. Next week we're having dinner with Jack's old gang. But this week we're having dinner with _my_ old gang. Do you remember them Jack?" Robert asked and Jack shook his head for the twentieth time that night.

"How could I forget? I've never met such _dummies_ before."

Elizabeth, Mary and Ennis laughed and the two other friends began an argument about whose friends had proved to be more successful in the present.

* * *

**Author: **_Robert was a long time idea, but now that it's all written I found myself surprise with the lines of this character, there's something about him that sounds familiar to me! Do you like it? And what about Ennis new case? And Jack moving to his parent's house? Had anyone seen this coming?_

_Still on Holydays! Next week I'll be in my grandparents' village, in the very north of Portugal! I'll use the time to write but I won't be able to access the internet! Still I'm thinking about an update on Sunday! Do not worry! _

_**On the next chapter:**__ Jack moves to his father's house but we're going to be surprise with the many reasons why. Ennis receives help from Mary on his new case. But the big step for our couple seems to be the dinner with Jack's friends! _


	23. The return of the prodigal son

_**Author's Note: **__Thank you so very much for my friend _Kathy (**kittie8571**_) who is the Beta of this story! _

_Thank you everybody for the reviews! Especially to **Jada91**, **sweetjg**, **gr lewis**, **Ana **and **WCUGirl.**_

* * *

**Chapter Twenty Three: The return of the prodigal son **

Jack stood in front of the main door of his father's house. His blue BMW was parked in the huge family garage and his bags were displayed around him. There was a strange feeling in his heart and as he saw the sun going down on the other side of the garden, he knew that this was a moment he would never forget. He was moving back to his father's house.

He had made the decision less than a week ago and, like most of the important decisions made before the right time, he had questioned it since. Jack talked with Uncle Daniel, Ennis, Matilda and even Elizabeth about it, all of them had approved his resolution. When he and his father started to have appointments with Dr. Whistle, the psychiatrist, Jack used a rare moment alone with the doctor to ask him about it. Even the experienced doctor supported his decision. Actually, Jack could remember the doctor's words quite well.

"_Mr. Twist, your father is experienc__ing normal symptoms for someone who has been diagnosed with a terminal decease. Uncertainty, anxiety, shock, negation, rage, shame, isolation, fear or depression, these are all normal reactions. Your father is experiencing some of them and, unfortunately, isolation and depression are the most visible in his case." The elderly doctor took a moment to search for a few brochures about terminal illness and the expected physiologic reactions._

"_Isolation is the result of the feeling of rejection." Jack made a confused face and was about to say something but the doctor proceed. "Rejection doesn't mean that anyone is actually rejecting him for his decease. What happens is that Mr. Twist has been forced to leave behind some of his daily activities, especially his work at the firm. This fact supports the feel of isolation and rejection. You can certainly help by spending as much time as possible with your father and encouraging him to spend time with other friends and relatives. I've already talked about this with your… I believe it's uncle? I talked with__Mr. Daniel Smith about it."_

"_Yes, he's my father's best friend. He's like family." Jack explained to the doctor._

"_The depression is another problem. Not only is it a symptom of your father's specific type of cancer but it's also a natural reaction to a terminal illness. Depression, Mr. Twist, is obviously natural in a situation like this. The problem occurs when it pushes the patient to take drastic actions or when its duration is longer than expected. You did well in convincing your father to take these appointments. From what I've seen so far, your father shows symptoms of agitated depression. He shows signs of hyperactivity and agitation, and Mr. Smith described some episodes to me that fit the expected reactions. He also shows difficulty expressing his feelings, loss of appetite, and an obvious sadness. Those are signs of a normal depression." _

"_I'm a bit worried about his attitude. He's fighting for control and all we want to do is help. I understand now that there's absolutely_ _nothing we can do, but he_ _still feels threatened by all my offers to help." Jack said, and the doctor nodded in agreement._

"_I was going to mention that. What you just described, Mr. Twist, is a reaction we call impotency. Impotency happens when the patient feels that he's losing the control over his body and sometimes even over his destiny. Your father feels that this illness is taking control of his body and he fears for the control of his life. He was a man used to making decisions. He doesn't want to lose that. Some of the reactions I described to you earlier can be the result of impotency or independent symptoms of his health situation. The human body and mind is complex and there isn't usually just one reason." The doctor gave Jack a moment to think about what he just said._

"_Impotency is making your father reject the search for new treatments. But, Mr. Twist, we're all aware that there's not much left to do. I suggest you help your father deal with the physiologic symptoms. He's still in much less pain and the appointments are showing good progress." The old doctor looked Jack in the eyes. "He needs your help and you'll feel much better in the end, knowing you gave him all the support he needed. He doesn't want to hurt you, but we're going to show him that pushing you away hurts you much more." _

Jack stayed silent for a couple of minutes, sitting on the chair of the cold room, looking at the brochures the doctor had given him and feeling the pieces of his life falling back together, like a jigsaw puzzle. All was understood. All finally made sense.

But when he left the clinic, he was a different person. A different man. A different son.

And remembering those feelings, Jack used his old key to open the door.

"Dad, I'm home." He spoke to the empty hall.

* * *

The lights moved again, from black to white in microseconds, and he felt the urge to rub his eyes again. The software he had just received was impressive and the information appearing in the screen potentially decisive. He moved his right hand to the mouse but after a few clicks, the sound of his stomach reminded him that there were physical needs he should attend to. 

Ennis took a moment to sigh. He had been working for more than five hours, nonstop, and was now nursing a headache. Considering that he was also extremely hungry, Ennis decided it was time to leave for home. He looked down at the clock on the right side of the screen. It was almost 11pm and he still hadn't had dinner. Ennis sighed again. It was the first time in a long time that he was going to have dinner alone on a Monday night. Last week, he and Jack traded their usual casual dinners for a couple of nights in Robert's company. At first Ennis had enjoyed the change. Robert was a nice guy, with a peculiar, sarcastic humour and a detailed memory of all of Jack's adventures. But now with Jack moving to his father's house, Ennis was afraid that their usual dinners were destined to end. It was selfish to think that way, he knew, but Ennis wanted more of Jack's attention, even considering his current situation.

Ennis grabbed his briefcase and was about to leave his office when a clear knock on the door caught his attention.

"Come in." Ennis said, still unsure if he had heard correctly. A few seconds later a man was standing in front of him.

"Mr. Del Mar?" The man asked. Ennis observed him, trying to remember whether or not he knew this man.

The man was almost as tall as Ennis, slightly more muscular than him, but had similar brown eyes. His hair was dark brown and it looked messed up. He looked to be older than Ennis, perhaps as old as Elizabeth. He could not tell. He was wearing a dark blue suit and striped shirt. Ennis concluded that it might be a colleague he probably hadn't met before.

"Do I know you?" Ennis said amicably.

"Not personally, Mr. Del Mar. I'm Venderlei Steel, Madelyn Webber's lawyer." The tone was confident and Ennis was surprised. They weren't supposed to meet until the end of the week. That considered and taking into account the attitude of the man, Ennis assumed that he wasn't here for a typical conversation. This would be either excellent news or bad presage.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Steel." Ennis said coldly, noticing that the man hadn't given him his hand to shake or made any other complementary gesture.

"Yes." He said, half as an answer, half as a question. "You're probably wondering what I'm doing here at this time of the night, without warning, even without bringing a single document or file with me." the older man said, almost as if expecting Ennis to ask a question. But Ennis was leaning against his desk, obviously interested in the conversation but secretly amused with the arrogance in the man's voice.

"Well, Mr. Del Mar, I'm here to give you a warning." Ennis wasn't surprised. The other man's body language had told him so long ago.

"You have my attention, Mr. Steel." Ennis said, crossing his arms against his chest. He decided he was going to play this game.

"You, Mr. Del Mar, are obviously unaware of the importance of this case to my client. If my client is found guilty, she may spend a few months in prison. She also risks losing an important role in a significant movie, not to mention the large amount of money she would have to pay to Mr. Dudgeon."

"I fail to see why this should concern me." Ennis said in a bored voice.

"What I mean Mr. Del Mar, is that my client is determined to do whatever it takes to win." Mr. Steel looked at the other man in the eyes. "She will pay for any expert, any scientist, and any lawyer needed to prove that the clasp was defective. And when that happens, your client is going to pay for all those costs and the Dudgeon mark will be ruin by the scandal."

"So, you're here to offer us a deal?" Ennis said smiling. "Did I get it right Mr. Steel? Well, let me tell you that there will be no deal. You can mark my words. If Madelyn Webber can pay for the best experts, so can my client. As far as I know, this is the firm with better experts, so, why am I not offering your client a deal?" Ennis paused shaking his head and picking his briefcase up from the floor. "Because we're going to win this case and then Miss Webber will have to pay for all our experts and for the jewelry that she stole."

"Mr. Del Mar, you're young and inexperienced…"

Ennis cut him off.

"Mr. Steel, I have better things to do with my time than to play these childish mind games." Ennis moved to the door and opened it. "I believe you know the way out." Ennis said, as he left his office, sounding calmer than he really felt.

* * *

Jack woke up to the strange sound of birds. He moved in bed to find that he was alone and the discovery made him feel slightly annoyed. It took him a minute to realize that he wasn't even sleeping in his own bed. Reality hit him hard. He was back in his father's house. Rubbing his eyes, Jack slowly recalled the previous day's events. 

His father had avoided his company for most of the afternoon, but after he had returned from dinner with Robert, the mood was lighter and Jack and his father took the opportunity to talk while sharing a drink. Enrique was glad for the company, but was still fighting his strong feelings of impotency. By the end of the night, Jack and his father were relaxing by the garden, playing cards with Uncle Daniel. It hadn't been a bad Monday night after all.

And that was when Jack realized that he had totally forgotten about Ennis. It was their special routine to share dinner on Monday and Wednesday and Jack had totally forgotten. Of course Ennis knew that he would move back to his father's house yesterday and probably hadn't expected him to appear. But still, Jack felt bad for not even sending a message to his boyfriend. He was neglecting his relationship with Ennis, first with the arrival of Robert and now with the caring of his father. He knew Ennis was an understandable man but their relationship was still very new and Ennis was, in many ways, insecure about it.

Jack sighed. He needed to send him a message. No. He needed to apologize in person. It had been a really bad lapse on Jack's part, and he could come up with a different million reasons for what happened, but none of them seemed a good enough excuse.

Jack wrapped a black silk robe around himself and moved to the dining room. It was already 8 am, so by this time, his father should be having breakfast. He bowed his head silently at Ann, moving to sit closer to his father. Enrique looked slightly better than yesterday and his facial expression told Jack that he had a good night's sleep. Jack pretended to have a little morning cough in order to get his father's attention, since the older man was concentrating hard on the newspaper in front of him.

"Good morning dad."

"Morning, son." Enrique answered, closing his newspaper.

"You know Robert is coming tonight for dinner."

"Yes. Daniel is coming too, as planned." Enrique looked at Jack, who was now eating his bacon and eggs. "How much longer do you plan to neglect your lawyer duties?"

"Dad." Jack sighed. "Robert will be here for a week. I really don't know when he's going to come back. Does a week mean that much to you? Or to the firm? I really don't think so."

He was feeling slightly annoyed with his father. Enrique seemed to be getting obsessed with Jack's position at the firm, especially the image he conveyed to his colleagues. And lately, with all the recent events in Jack's life, those issues seemed less and less important to him.

"It's not really about the worth of one week's work, it's about your position at the firm." Enrique looked Jack in the eyes. "We've been avoiding this conversation for enough time, I feel it's high time to talk about you succeeding me in the management of the firm."

"You know this is not something I want to talk about! I feel like it's an insignificant problem, considering everything else."

"You're wrong, Jack. It's an important issue for me and I need to talk about this. I need to feel that you're aware of how important this is, because there's no denying it. This firm is and always was one of the most important things in my life. My dad built this firm and managed it until he was forced to retire. Then, after him, it was my time to manage the firm. You were my son and the firm was my wife!"

"What do you want me to tell you? I don't feel ready to take that step. I want to be a full time lawyer."

"I know son, and that's why we need to discuss this. It's important for me to know that the firm will be in the hands of the Twists. We owe that to your grandfather and you owe that to me. There's little else I could ask you, Jack. You'll take my place as the owner of the firm and there's nothing you can do to deny that."

"I'm aware of that. I just never thought it would happen so fast." Jack said, rubbing his eyes.

"You won't be alone. The board members will help you make the major decisions and I'll recommend that you keep Elizabeth as close as possible. She had learned a lot with me during the years." Enrique reached for Jack's hand. "Son? Just promise me you'll keep the Twist name."

"If that's your wish dad, of course I'll do it." Jack said holding his dad's hand tight.

"There's another thing I should tell you. It's about the Magnet Spring Party." Jack looked curious and Enrique proceeded. "I've decided I'll announce my retirement during the party. I feel like I owe my employees that."

"Does that mean I'll be running the firm from then on?" Jack asked.

"Of course, son."

"But that's only few days from now." Jack said surprised.

"As you know, I'll soon need to stay in the hospital. If you begin to work from that moment on, I'll have a couple of weeks to help you."

"That's crazy! You can't lose your last days working with me at the firm!"

"You don't understand, do you? Son, passing you this position, this job, it's my greatest honor. There would be very few things that would give me greater happiness! I'll be with you, showing you how to do something that I learned to love during all my years in the firm."

"Dad." Jack said with tears running down his face.

This was the moment when Jack realized that not only was his life going to change because he was losing his father, but life would also change because Jack was losing his own old life. Still, Jack wasn't sure if the change was going to be for the better.

* * *

Ennis was sitting in one of his favorite restaurants in New York. He just loved the way the chef grilled the European salmon and the carte du jour of desserts was a key to heaven. He had quickly lost count the number of times he and Jack had lunched in this restaurant. 

He looked at the painting in the hall, showing an untypical sailorman. There was something about the dark blue environment of the room that he truly liked. Maybe it was the lights, or the maritime theme, he wasn't sure.

Ennis jumped when he felt a hand on his arm. He quickly turned around to find a tall, dark haired woman smiling at him, Mary Bingley.

"Hi, Ennis." She said, taking the seat in front of him. "Sorry to keep you waiting. I was investigating another mysterious disappearance and it led me to a religious cult. Of course I was forced to call a friend in the FBI and it took some time."

"That sounds like fun." Ennis said smiling.

"I'm not going to lie, after almost two months of work, it was great to call back my client with the good news."

Mary looked at the menu.

"Fish, fish and fish. I'm not really into fish but…"

"Just try the European salmon, it's great. But do tell me, how's Sophie? For some odd reason I didn't see Elizabeth all morning."

"She's good. Still doesn't understand that her mother needs to sleep so that she can chase the bad guys, but she's doing great. Who I'm worried about is Eliza. She didn't go to work this morning because she wasn't feeling very well." Mary closed the menu and looked at Ennis. "My guess is that she must have spoken with Jack last night. Enrique's illness is upsetting her."

"I dare say it's upsetting to us all. Especially to Jack and there's very little we can do."

"You're right. At this very moment, Eliza must be at home watching a repeat of the Oprah show and crying like a baby." Mary said looking at her watch.

"Everyone has different ways to deal with pain and worry. I prefer to go jogging or drive somewhere out of town and nature watch for a couple of hours." Ennis said, waving to the waitress.

"But there was a reason for this lunch. I have here with me the information I told you about on the phone." Mary said when the waitress was gone.

"I'm all ears."

"Apparently, Madelyn Webber is in a very bad financial situation. She's very close to being broke. And how is that possible? You ask. Well, our lovely actress has a serious gambling problem. I don't have specific evidence, but my source was quite sure."

"So, if she loses this case, she won't have the money to pay my client?"

"No. But she would have to sell almost everything she owns. And that's why I feel the need to tell you Ennis that a desperate woman is a dangerous woman."

"I'm well aware of her ability to fabricate the truth, I'm not stupid." Ennis said annoyed.

"Just be careful, Del Mar." Mary said looking at him seriously.

* * *

Jack stood in Ennis's living room, observing his boyfriend moving around the apartment, while he petted Neve in his lap. Ennis looked nervous and Jack was beginning to feel worried. 

"Ennis, is everything all right?"

"Yes, just trying to find my watch." The blond man replied without looking at his boyfriend. Jack sighed. It was going to be a long night.

"Ennis, you're not mad about the Monday night thing, are you?"

"No. I've told you before, I needed the time to focus on my new case. And I had expected you not to come. No hard feelings." Ennis answered moving to the bedroom.

"Ennis?" Jack asked following his boyfriend to the room. "Can we speak seriously for a moment?"

"I thought we were already doing so but yeah, sure." Ennis said facing him. Jack sat on the bed and waited for Ennis to sit too.

"Have you wondered why I never introduced you to my old friends before? They still live in N.Y. and I still consider them good friends. So… why?" Jack asked looking at Ennis. "I could lie to you, but I won't. I didn't introduce them to you because I felt you weren't ready. Especially the Thomas couple. You're still dealing with your feelings about being gay and I didn't want to scare you away with a couple of big mouth friends that have known me for far too long. I was afraid you would feel uncomfortable being "Jack's boyfriend" around them. But now I feel it's the right time. We've passed those initial worries and we both want to be together. So tell me, why are you so nervous?"

"You're right. Before it wouldn't have been the right time. It's just I feel like I need their approval."

"I repeat, why are you so nervous?"

"You're father doesn't like me. If your friends don't like me either, I'm afraid it may change your mind about us." Ennis finally confessed.

"That's ridiculous! Of course they're going to like you. They're going to see how much we love each other and that's all it takes to have my friends' approval. And forget about my father. You know he's just being protective. You've told me so a thousand times."

"I guess you're right." Ennis said in a low tone.

"Of course I'm right." Jack said, putting his arms around Ennis's neck. "Now, how about a kiss?"

And that night, after Jack and Ennis had arrived from the dinner with friends, Ennis was quite happy. He had managed to survive the dinner without blushing too much or without being too scared. He was surprised by how close Jack was to the Thomas's and how invasive their questions were. They were both aware of the difficulties a homosexual relationship brings and how that can be hard to someone who has only recently become aware of his sexual orientation. But he answered all of their questions and to the ones he didn't have the answers for, he was even more truthful in his answers. He could see they had liked him and the impertinent questions made him think.

Think about his feelings, about his plans for the future, about how he sees himself now, about how he could be developing their relationship and how much more they had in front of them. And he was glad that Jack had given him time before this dinner, that he had waited for the perfect moment to introduce Ennis to his old friends. Even more glad that Jack had gave him the opportunity to go now. It had been confirmation that their relationship was progressing to new, different levels. Ennis just wondered if he was ready to face those different levels.

* * *

**Author: **_A nice chapter with more information about Enrique's illness. I wanted to be mores specific about Ennis and Jack's dinner with Jack's friends but somehow it felt better to write this way. _

_**Important:** For me, the big surprise is how much Jack's life is about to change and we have a small glance of that in this chapter. I still don't know if I should finish the story in that point and write a sequel or continue to write it all together. It's been worrying me and I want your opinions! _

_Still on Holydays! Next week I'll be Italy for 8 glorious days! I won't be able to write or post but as soon as I arrive I'll be posting again! _

_**On the next chapter:**__ Ennis faces for the first time Madelyn Webber! This case is just getting better and better! Jack fears the responsibilities of being a godfather but is Robert who happens to surprise everyone in the party! _


	24. Sophie and her godfather

_**Author's Note: **__Thank you so very much for my friend _Kathy **(kittie8571**_ who is the Beta of this story! _

_Thank you everybody for the reviews! Especially to **120cassie**, **sweetjg**, **Lil-Lyon**, **coldprin**, **WCUGirl, ****Sas87** and **fetix**._

* * *

**Chapter Twenty Four****: Sophie and her godfather **

Ennis was reading the newspaper and drinking some hot coffee. Today was going to be a very busy day, as per the usual on Fridays. First he had the initial meeting with Venderlei Steel and Madelyn Webber at the firm, then it was Sophie's party and Robert's official goodbye at Elizabeth's house.

Ennis was feeling very tired lately. All the late hours working at the firm were exhausting him and with Jack's recent absence, he was also feeling alone. He had grown used to Jack's full-time company. He had been a lonely man, craving companionship and now that he had found it, it was extremely difficult to support a single moment alone. And he wasn't only thinking about physical absentness…

Ennis heard a familiar sound from the other side of the door. Veronica was opening her own door, probably going early for the hospital. Maybe because of her boyfriend, the new mysterious doctor, that Ennis was tired of hearing about. He reached for the mug of coffee but stopped in the middle of the action, when he heard Veronica calling his name. Neve immediately started to scratch the door making a lot of noise and Ennis was forced to get up. He moved to the door wondering what was going to happen now.

"Veronica?" Ennis asked opening the door.

"Hi, just thought we could have breakfast together." She said entering the apartment.

"I'm spoken for, girl!" Ennis said laughing. "And why didn't you use the door bell?"

"I guess it's broken, didn't work." Veronica sat in the chair and held her head in her hands.

"What's happening?" Ennis asked, resting his hand on her shoulder. He had only now realized that Veronica looked very upset.

"It's Kenzei…" She said, starting to cry.

"Kenzei, your new boyfriend?" Ennis asked surprised.

"Yes." Veronica said and Ennis felt awful. He didn't know exactly what to do. He wasn't good at comforting, but he felt the urge to hold his closest friend. So he sat on the chair closest to Veronica and hugged her.

"What happened?" Ennis whispered in her ear. She was weeping desperately.

"He's a jerk!" She was now sobbing loudly. "We were working together on the night shift. And you know, because of the spring holidays, I've been doing double shifts and sleeping less and less. It was almost midnight, I was completely tired and I had this last patient who needed a special medication. I went to give it to him but then one of my colleagues called me to help in the emergency room and I was forced to leave. When I returned, I had totally forgotten about the patient's prescription. Kenzei noticed that the patient were missing his pills and made a horrible scene." She stopped to breathe and calm her nerves.

"Totally unnecessary, because the patient could wait for a few more minutes. It was a simple mistake and he attacked me as if I was an incompetent!" Veronica was now looking extremely angry and Ennis was surprised to see a strong fire burning in her eyes. "He told me that it was an unforgivable mistake in front of all my other colleagues. I never felt so ashamed in all my life. I work all my life in that hospital and I've never been treated this way before! And by my own boyfriend!"

Ennis held her close and tried to find the right words for the situation. It was hard, because right now, all he wanted to do was to agree with Veronica and believe that Kenzei was nothing more than an idiot. But those were not the words Veronica needed to hear and Ennis, with his silent ways, had learned a few things about people, just by watching.

"Veronica, there are many faults in Kenzei's attitude, but I'll tell you this. Men react strangely to things they are afraid to face." Ennis saw that Veronica didn't understand what he meant. "Let me explain. You and Kenzei, you two work together and it can be difficult. The way I see it, he is probably uncomfortable with the fact that, because you're working with him and he's also your boyfriend, he may be too benevolent. He's your superior and things can get complicated. He probably wanted to show everybody you're not getting any special treatment, but forgot you could get hurt."

"Jesus, Ennis, you just spoke more words together at one time than I ever heard you say." She said, smiling sadly.

"You needed to hear them, but there's more. I'm not saying what he did was right. It wasn't! It was childish of him and you have every right to be mad. But if he truly loves you, he'll ask for your forgiveness soon. And then you should probably talk with him about this. It's obvious that he isn't feeling comfortable with you at work."

"You're probably right Ennis and it makes sense, especially considering other things that had happened before." Veronica said shaking her head. "You have a gift for this. You should be the next Dr. Phil!"

"Sadly this only works for others. I'm a disaster with my own relationships. Even with Jack, I've already had my share of mistakes." Ennis looked at the clock on the wall. "God, I'm terribly late! Can the breakfast wait for another day? I need to leave." Ennis said running to the bedroom.

"Of course, Ennis. I'm going home, I need to sleep." She moved to the door and caressed Neve. "And Ennis? Thank you!" She shouted before closing the door.

Veronica could not see but inside of his bedroom Ennis was smiling to the mirror.

* * *

Jack and Robert were walking along the long corridors of the gigantic mall. The contrast between the two friends was almost comical. Jack was wearing a modern print blouse and tight jeans and Robert a yellow cagoule and tracksuit bottoms. Jack was radiant, carrying at least three different bags full with clothes and other items and Robert, with his hands deep in his pockets, was looking as if attending a distant cousin's funeral, bored. 

"Are you sure you don't want to buy something to wear for tonight's dinner?" Jack asked for the third time since they had arrived at the mall.

"Jack, for the last time, no!" Robert answered, while Jack stopped in front of another shop window, clearly ignoring Robert's protests.

"I hate paisley!" Jack said looking at the shirt the dummy was wearing. "I think it's because my father used to wear a horrible paisley scarf when I was young. I guess it was his favorite. It obviously traumatized me!" Jack said with a look of disgust. Robert rolled his eyes.

"You never get tired, do you?" Robert asked, without really waiting for an answer. "We're here for more than three hours and you still didn't buy your future nephew's a present."

"I needed to buy clothes to wear tonight and there's plenty of time to buy Sophie's present." He turned to Robert and looked at his eyes. "What's wrong with you?"

"I'm tired!" Robert answered honestly. "Shopping is not a hobby for me. Normal straight guys only shop when strictly needed. It's boring and after a few hours my legs start to hurt."

"How can it be possible? You spend hours in the jungle waiting for some big cat to sniff your camera and you find shopping boring?" Jack moved to the next shop. "Sometimes I can't understand you."

"Come on. Don't act surprised, you know I hate this things." Robert said following him.

"Yes, and usually I would bring Elizabeth with me, but the present is for her daughter! And you needed a little punishment for all the awful things about me you kept telling everybody I know."

"It's not my fault you have a hilarious past. And why didn't you ask Ennis to come with you?" Robert asked entering the shop. He looked surprised for a minute when he realized that there was a man playing on a black piano in the middle of the shop.

"He's busy, working at the firm on an important new case with Madelyn Webber." Jack stopped picking up a white blue shirt and looked at Robert. "I've been feeling guilty lately. With me moving to my father's house, we haven't had much time together. Ennis keeps saying it's okay with him but I know he's feeling lonely."

"I like him. He's discreet, prudent and he seems to like you a lot. He'll understand, Jack."

"It's odd, you know? I feel like I need him, now more than ever, but at the same time, I have this urge to be by myself. To be alone with my own thoughts. It's complicated."

"Jack, I know you. And you always found a way to overcome your problems. Especially your family problems. I was always surprised by how positive and nice you are considering everything you've gone through in life. And in the end of this phase, nothing of this will change, because that's a part of you."

"Thanks." Jack said smiling at Robert. "But what do you think about you wearing this shirt tonight?"

"For the love of God! Is this Queer eye for the straight guy?" Robert said a bit too loud.

Jack, the pianist and a couple of shoppers gave Robert angry looks and Robert was forced to apologize and try at least three different shirts. Oddly, a few of them were ridiculously pink.

* * *

After lunch, there was always an unusual environment in the firm. The young lawyers, working on research, would start looking at their clocks, waiting for the final hours of their shifts. The most famous lawyers would return to the firm, with their stomachs full, feeling heavy-eyed. Secretaries would usually serve coffee every half an hour. And a very restless lawyer would usually use this time of the day to brush his teeth after a quick lunch in his own office's desk. 

Yes, there he was, Ennis, alone in the bathroom, brushing his teeth. But not even in this particularly simple moment did Ennis stop thinking about work. Actually, he was focusing his mind on the issues for which he couldn't find answers.

In a few minutes Venderlei Steel and Madelyn Webber would enter through his door and the long expected meeting would start. He was still apprehensive about this case as many different people had warned him about Madelyn Webber. The woman had the worst reputation he had ever heard among the lawyers. Absolutely no limits when it comes to dodging the law in order to save her skin. There was also Venderlei Steel, a famous lawyer with an equal dubious reputation.

Ennis looked one last time to the mirror. There was no particular reason to be nervous, but he kept getting this bad feeling about the case. His gut feeling was screaming to be careful and his experience as a lawyer had taught him never to dismiss his instincts. And these thoughts, once again, reminded him why he was so keen on murder cases.

He cleaned his hands on a towel and moved to the golden door of the bathroom. Outside, the hall of the firm was particularly silent. All the lawyers had started their afternoon activities. From the other side of the hall, Helen Carrilho waved at him. She was returning to her normal self around him, but there was still a slight awkwardness. Ennis smiled at her and moved in the direction of his office.

Looking at the big desk in front of his office's door, Ennis smiled. Mrs. Campbell looked at him as he approached her. The older woman raised her eyebrows. As usual, she was surrounded by papers and post-it notes. But today she was looking a bit desperate.

"Any news, Mrs. Campbell?" Ennis asked worried, leaning against her desk.

"The usual in these cases, I'm afraid. The press keeps calling every five minutes and the mail today was around more than fifty letters. Fans who want us to stop tormenting Madelyn Webber, the Saint!" Mrs. Campbell said faking shame.

"That bad? I thought last week would have been the worst." Ennis asked, looking at the red paper boxes full with envelops lying behind Mrs. Campbell.

"My thoughts precisely, Mr. Del Mar." She said waving at the red boxes. "I'll ask a couple of trainees to read them all. I have too much to do today."

"Yes. It's a good idea. Who knows? There might be important information lying in the middle of them." Ennis said picking up one particular envelope, but then let it fell again in the midst of the others.

"Or perhaps a threatening letter…" She said, leaving the words between them. Ennis didn't have the time to speak, as the phone on Mrs. Campbell's desk rang and the older woman was forced to pick it up, waving to Ennis to wait for the end of the call.

"Any more bad news?" Ennis asked as his secretary looked up at him.

"Actually, no. Security just called to inform me that Mr. Dungeon has just arrived. Do you wish to receive him just now?"

"Yes, that would be great. Just send him directly to my office." Ennis said opening the door.

Immediately he started to place the documents on the small table in front of the black sofa. It was there in the small space in his office where he usually talked with his clients. It was the coziest, most personal space of the whole room.

Ennis knew that Mr. Dungeon had arrived when he heard a small knock on his door. A few seconds later Mrs. Campbell opened the door.

"Mr. Del Mar? Mr. Dungeon is here for you." She said, stepping aside to reveal Mr. Dungeon.

"Glad to have you here, Mr. Dungeon." Ennis said shaking hands with the man.

"As I've told you before Mr. Del Mar, I want to be as involved as possible in this case."

"I can easily understand your position." Ennis said pointing at the black sofa. "We have a difficult meeting in front of us. Venderlei Steel is a very aggressive lawyer, his techniques are unusual and he likes to think that everybody fears him." Mr. Dungeon nodded and Ennis proceed. "We have good information that I believe will expose Madelyn Webber's true character. Our experts have data that proves the quality of the jewelry and I'm trying to discover what kind of experts they're going to use against us."

"If there's anything I can do to help." Mr. Dungeon said obviously pleased with Ennis developments.

The phone on Ennis's desk beeped and he knew that Mrs. Campbell was calling him. Probably Venderlei Steel and Madelyn Webber had just arrived. The show was about to begin. Ennis looked at Mr. Dungeon, and the other man understood. Ennis nodded and gave some final advice.

"I recommend you stay as silent as possible today. You should pay close attention to everything they say in this room. This is going to be a preview of what's about to come."

"I'll take your advice, Mr. Del Mar." Mr. Dungeon said, moving to sit on a chair next to Ennis's desk.

Mrs. Campbell knocked and a few seconds later, Venderlei Steel entered the room, followed by Madelyn Webber. Ennis, seated on his chair, observed the pair. Venderlei he had seen before, the older man looked somehow similar to him, or so he thought. But the muscles on his body and the expensive suits that he matched with red ties, of many different shades, made Ennis remember the _Godfather_. Maybe it was the hair cut with all that gel that made him look Italian.

But the real interest to Ennis was Madelyn Webber. The blond woman had obviously dressed to impress, if not to kill. Expensive Gucci dress, in black silk and silver details, making her white skin look almost angelic. She was also wearing sunglasses and silver sandals. It was like looking at a model in a fashion magazine. Ennis wondered how impressed the jury would be in court by a show like this. It wasn't a good sign that she looked exactly like in the movies. No, not good at all.

And that was when Ennis realized that behind Madelyn Webber stood two large men dressed in black and wearing sunglasses, looking around the room. Ennis had forgotten about Madelyn's bodyguards.

"Mr. Steel, as I'm sure you understand, I would like this meeting to be as private as possible. I can guarantee that no harm will occur to Miss Webber inside my private office." Ennis said waving around to express his point. Venderlei looked at Madelyn and when she nodded, he spoke.

"That can be done, Mr. Del Mar." Venderlei said, and the two bodyguards left the room.

Venderlei and Madelyn moved closer and finally the older lawyer offered his hand, which Ennis accepted, but there was no exchange of kind words. Actually, there was no exchange of words at all. The four adults stayed silent for a few seconds observing each other. The actress and her lawyer took the seats in front of Ennis's desk.

Ennis looked closely at the woman standing a few feet from him. She had taken her glasses off and he could see the deep layers of make-up on her face. There was something awkward about it, in Ennis's point of view, something unpleasant about the "plastic" way of her beauty. The odd idea that maybe this was why he had found himself playing for the other team struck him, but he dismissed it quickly.

"My client and I have reached an acceptable amount. In case of a deal, all charges will be dropped, as expected. Our only request is the release of a public apology to Dungeon's company and especially to Mr. Dungeon himself." Ennis said placing a document in the middle of the desk.

Venderlei Steel picked the document from the table and after a quick glance, threw it back to where it had been. Ennis didn't even blink. He had expected this. Venderlei was, in so many ways, identical to Madelyn Webber. Both shared a pleasure for the supreme art of drama and not in such a different way as many would think. And both also liked to impress their audiences with an unnecessary stage show. But Ennis wasn't impressed. He relaxed in his chair waiting for Venderlei to make the next move.

"This is unacceptable! Miss Webber is innocent and only considered the deal in order to avoid another public scandal. But with this amount and the other specific requests, I believe we have no other choice but to take this to court." Ennis looked at Madelyn Webber, the actress was strangely silent, showing signs that all of these actions had been previously planned. Once again, Ennis wasn't surprised.

"None of our demands are negotiable, I'm afraid it's this deal or court, Mr. Steel." Ennis said calmly.

The silence in the room was disturbed by the sound of a mobile phone. Ennis looked at Mr. Dungeon. The older man was reading a text message and after a few seconds he was standing up, obviously worried.

"I'm afraid I have to leave immediately. A situation has occurred and it needs my personal assistance." Mr. Dungeon said to Ennis. The man made eye contact with Ennis, and the lawyer could see that the situation was, indeed, important.

"Of course, Mr. Dungeon. I'll inform you the results of this meeting as soon as possible." Ennis said opening the door to his client. He wasn't happy with the situation. Mr. Dungeon's presence was important, if not only for Mr. Dungeon's understanding of the case. But he could easily apprise him by scheduling a private meeting tomorrow with Mr. Dungeon. Right now, he had a meeting to finish.

He moved to the desk and sat in front of Venderlei and Madelyn Webber, both of whom looked strangely happy with the event. Ennis took this as a bad sign but waited for Venderlei to make the last refusal of the deal in silence.

"Mr. Del Mar, this is the last opportunity to save yourself and your client from a _bad experience_." The older lawyer said smiling.

"My words from the day we met, Mr. Steel, are the same. We're going to win this case."

"Then there is nothing else to discuss." Mr. Steel said moving slowly to the door. "You'll have news from us…" He said, pausing to smile again. "Sooner than you can imagine." He closed the door and only in that moment did Ennis realized that Madelyn Webber was still seated in front of him.

"Mr. Del Mar, I'm aware that the tactics of Mr. Steel are well-known, but he is an impressive lawyer and I would never have chosen any other. But if his warning didn't sound forbidding, perhaps you should consider the one I'm about to make." She moved closer to the desk and Ennis was surprised with the confidence in her tone.

"I have influence, greater than the one your client is about to experience. A few favors and someone's reputation can be ruined, another favor and important doors can open." She was caressing the desk, slowly following her fingers with her eyes. "Perhaps you should think about it Mr. Del Mar."

"There's absolutely nothing you possess, Miss Webber, that I'm interested in." Ennis said opening the door of his office. "Actually, there is something. Perhaps a confession of guilt?"

The blond woman looked furiously at Ennis and without another word, she left the firm, followed by her two huge bodyguards.

* * *

Jack was holding Sophie against him and pacing around the room, feeling nervous. Robert, observing from a window the guests arriving, shook his head and decided to try to appease Jack in his worries. 

"Everything is going to be fine, Jack. It's not your wedding, you know?" Robert said taking the small baby girl from Jack's arms.

"I know but…" Jack paused taking a deep breath. "I had this terrible nightmare last night. Mary and Elizabeth died in a crash plane on their way to the honeymoon and Sophie was left with me. I was a disaster father to her, Ennis left me and the members of the board wanted my resignation. A mess! And I've been feeling nervous ever since!"

"You know what they say about dreams. Most of the time, they're the expression of our deepest fears. Other times they're about our worries or our desires. But most of the time they mean nothing."

"I know! It's just that I've never thought about being Sophie's father before. You know? In case something happens, but also being the male figure. I've even been reading about it."

"You're obviously freaking out!" Robert said shaking his head. "And what about Ennis? Shouldn't he be here by now?"

"He called me earlier. He'll be a bit late because of work."

"Remember what I told you this morning. Stress doesn't kill but can cause a lot of damage. And I'm not only talking about your health." Robert said and Jack opened his mouth to speak but Elizabeth entered the room, looking a bit nervous herself.

"Uau! You look great." Robert said, looking at the small woman. Elizabeth was wearing a beautiful pink summer dress and her hair was falling from the top of her head in a stunning style. She smiled a little and Jack caught a glance of the silver bracelets on her right wrist. It matched the silver earrings and the white shoes.

"You're exquisite this evening." Jack said, bowing in an old-fashioned way and Elizabeth laughed, taking Sophie in her arms. "By the way, my father sends his love, but he still didn't feel like leaving the house tonight."

"You should see Mary. I was even able to make her wear make-up." Elizabeth said proudly, avoiding mentioning Enrique.

"There's a first time for everything." Jack said surprised.

"Just don't tease her about it. I want her to wear it again at the wedding." Elizabeth said to Jack.

"If you insist." Jack said cheerlessly.

"Women and their girlish talk. Clothes, make-up, shopping, gossip…" Robert said smiling.

"There's absolutely nothing wrong with it. And I know you like to make jokes about it, but some women are just not like that. I've learn that with Mary. She likes different things than most women, but that doesn't make her less of a woman. And it's the same thing for a man who doesn't like _man stuff._" Elizabeth wave her hand in a dismiss movement. "That's pretty much all based in stereotypes."

"And with that you've managed to keep Robert quiet for the rest of the night. Well done!" Jack said, looking at Robert, who was shaking his head and smiling.

"Well, let's go. We don't have time for any more sociology talk." Elizabeth said, leading the way out of the small living room.

"Beth, how many people are going to be here tonight?" Jack asked when they passed through the kitchen. Almost twenty people, dressed in orange, were moving around the kitchen, cooking the dinner.

"I'm guessing, around one hundred." Robert said.

"One hundred?" Elizabeth asked amused. "Not even close."

"It's less than that, right?" Jack asked feeling nervous again.

"Jack, think with me. When Mary and I announced our engagement, there were more than two hundred people. And it was a Magnet party, so most of my friends weren't there and the same for Mary's friends. Today we have fewer colleagues at the party but with our friends and Mary's close family…" She seemed to think for a moment. "I would say about three hundred. Probably close to the list of wedding guests."

"Jesus. I should have reviewed my speech again." Jack said feeling worried.

"Come on Jack, you're going to be great." Elizabeth said laughing.

"He's been acting like this since we arrived." Robert move closer to Elizabeth and whispered in her ear. "It's the whole, being "almost father" thing."

"I'm nervous, ok? It's an important night for me." Jack said trying to defend himself.

"I know what you need and I think I saw him arriving a few seconds ago." Elizabeth said looking down the big hall. "There he is."

Ennis, who had just arrived, looked where the sound of Elizabeth's voice had come from. But his eyes moved to the dark haired man he had missed so much all day. He couldn't help but smile, his eyes moved to admire the beauty, his mind remembered the moments and the feelings, his heart bit grow faster and without evening thinking his legs moved in Jack's direction and his arms encircled the smaller man.

For a moment, he completely forgot that they were surrounded by guests. It felt right to hold Jack after the last dreadful days and no one was going to take that from him. But when his eyes locked with the most stunning blue ones he had ever seen, Ennis felt the familiar pull to kiss, to love, to cherish everything that Jack Twist was for him. And without any warning, his lips moved to cover the Jack's lips and everything else was once again forgotten and Ennis found himself kissing his boyfriend in front of Elizabeth, Robert and a group of complete strangers.

After a few more seconds, Ennis withdrew, trying to regain his posture.

Moving his head a little he whispered to Jack. "I've missed you, baby." He was surprised with his own reaction and so was Jack, Ennis could see.

"I've missed you too." Jack said and Ennis could almost feel the smile on Jack's face.

Jack had been surprised with the kiss and the ardency of Ennis's affections but he had also missed Ennis' companionship and love during the past few days and he could understand the needs that had driven Ennis. Also, he was delighted to be able to pull to the surface such strong feelings from his boyfriend. It was a sign of how much Ennis loved him.

"Are you nervous?" Ennis asked, slowly breaking away from their embrace.

"Not anymore, thanks to you." Jack answered, looking around for the first time to Elizabeth's friends that were surrounding them.

"I have absolutely no idea why homosexuals think that they invented romance." Robert said faking annoyance. "They're clearly trying to trick us into believing that there's a predisposition to be more romantic if you're gay. It's the only explanation to shows like this."

"Oh for the love of God. Be nice, Robert!" Elizabeth said smiling, still holding a sleepy Sophie in her arms. "Haven't you heard a single word of what I said a few minutes ago?" She shook her head, but Jack laughed and Ennis tried not to look confused with the odd looks the others were sharing.

The dinner had been magnificent, not that Ennis and Jack had expected anything else. After all, Sophie was the only daughter of a millionaire lawyer, the heir that no one had expected. Monique, the old governess of Elizabeth's house, had told Ennis and Jack that even she had long ago lost all hope of ever seeing Elizabeth's own children. But now with little Sophie blessing their house, there was once again hope that the Noris's could return to being the large family they were so many generations before.

Ennis had noticed, but pretended otherwise, the stares that some of his colleagues had given him, when noticing that he and Jack were together. At first he had thought it was because of prejudice, but then he overheard a conversation between some of them and he had understood. The problem was that Ennis was dating the son of the boss, probably expecting favoritism from Enrique Twist and plotting to ascend quickly in the firm. Ennis had forced himself not to laugh. How wrong could they be! Enrique was far from doing Ennis any favors in the firm.

Jack, who had obviously been unaware of all this, considering how nervous he had been, slowly stood up from his seat at the table and waved to a waitress, then waited for a microphone. Ennis quickly realized that Jack had intended to make his _godfather speech_, which probably had been more tested then any of his final allegation's speeches. All the guests looked at Jack, when the microphone arrived at his hands.

"First of all, goodnight ladies and gentleman. Friends, family and colleagues of this very recent family." Jack said waving at Elizabeth and Mary. "We're all here tonight to give our blessing to the adorable Sophie Bingley, soon to be Noris, I've heard." He smiled again to Elizabeth and Mary.

"I was unaware of what it was to be a godfather, when I was asked to be one. Still, my duty as Elizabeth's friend, compelled me to say yes. Because friendship for a man, who always had a small family, is almost similar to brotherhood. Yes, Elizabeth is and always was like a sister to me. Sometimes like a mother and other times like a boss, but always like a best friend. Maybe that is why I'm also going to be her best man in the future wedding." Jack took a second to reorganize his thoughts. "But nothing of that compares to the honor of being Sophie's godfather. I still don't know everything about being a godfather, but I'll learn with Sophie, every day for the rest of my life, with her love and your guidance. The trust that you have in me is what makes me believe that the Twist family is now and forever will be united to the Bingley and Noris family." Jack raised his glass and soon all the other members of the table were imitating his movement. "Cheers, everybody."

Jack sat again and Ennis rested his hand on his shoulder. It had been a simple speech, with words from the heart and not from the mind. Some would have found it terribly inappropriate but Ennis was sure that Elizabeth loved it. He was about to say his thoughts to Jack when, suddenly, Robert stood up from his seat.

"My friends, the moment has arrived when the sad goodbyes begin. As most of you know, I'll be leaving tomorrow to Florence." Robert looked at Jack and then to Elizabeth. "But in this moment of joy and felicity…" Robert paused, looking at Sophie, who was now playing with the expensive bracelet that Jack had given her. "I feel the need to share with you some good news. I'll be leaving tomorrow but I'll return very soon. And this time to stay. I've decided to return to New York for good."

Jack choked on his water and Elizabeth looked at Robert in disbelief. And, considering what Ennis knew about Robert, he was also unable to entirely believe this latest bit of news.

* * *

**Author: **_There was something odd about this chapter. Every time I thought about a new scene, the characters were doing the oddest things. Probably no one noticed but I had a few problems with that. :P_

_I'm back! Probably updates will be back to the old rhythm. I promise to post on Sunday. __Thanks for all your patience! _

_**On the next chapter:**__ Why is Robert returning to New York? Jack and Ennis are going to find out on the next chapter. There is also news on the Madelyn Webber's case. But for the ones who like it, there's a lot of romance on the next few chapters._


	25. Passion is created when love can't wait

_**Author's Note: **__Thank you so very much for my friend _Kathy (**kittie8571**_) who is the Beta of this story! _

_Thank you everybody for the reviews! Especially to _**gr lewis,** **Lil-Lyon**, **coldprin**, **WCUGirl, ****Debra LaValley** _and _

* * *

**Chapter Twenty Five: ****Passion is created when love can't wait **

After a few seconds, Jack was still coughing. Ennis was looking at him, puzzled, probably thinking that Jack would have had some clue as to why Robert was making such an unpredictable announcement. But Jack was completely clueless. The only thought that crossed his mind was that maybe this was another of Robert's silly jokes. A very bad one, indeed. But then, Jack had always suspected that there was a bigger reason for this visit and maybe this was why.

Robert, who was still standing up from his chair, looked immensely amused with the whole situation, especially smiling at Jack. He turned his gaze from Jack to Elizabeth and smiled again.

"I wasn't supposed to share this piece of news so soon, but the moment seemed appropriate. I'm more than happy to announce that I've decided to open a gallery here in New York. Details to be disclosed soon. But, in closing, I hope to have this new project started with the help of all of my American friends before long." He looked at Mary and Elizabeth and raised his glass. "And thank you, Elizabeth and Mary, for the amazing dinner. I hope this is just one of many that we will share in the grace of our friendship."

Once again, the guests shared a toast and Elizabeth and Mary thanked everyone for their kind words.

Ennis took the moment to smile at Jack, who was obviously still in shock, as was usual for him in these situations.

"He would make a terrific lawyer." Ennis whispered to Jack.

Ennis looked closely, as his boyfriend's face moved from utter surprise to terrific delight.

* * *

Jack was distractedly following Ennis to his apartment. 

He was still surprised with Robert's announcement. His best friend had made big plans about his return to New York. The photograph gallery would also be a small photographic school, with lessons for both beginners and experts alike. Robert had it all planed in his head and the first steps had already been taken. He even had a location in mind for the gallery/school!

Jack didn't know how to react to this whole new phase of Robert's life, but he was certainly extremely glad to have his best friend back in New York. It was like going back in time, when their friendship made them feel almost like family. Jack was sure that this could not have come at a better time. He was in need of a confidant.

But his mind was moving quickly to other topics. More interesting topics. For the first time in a few days, he had absolutely no intention in spending the night in his father's house. Enrique had refused to accompany Jack to Elizabeth's party, and after another regretful argument about Enrique's isolation, Jack informed his father that he didn't intend to return until the next day.

In the meantime, he was growing intrigued. All because of Ennis, who had been unusually romantic all night, but was now avoiding looking at him. He wondered if poor Ennis was exhausted and simply feeling sleepy. That could be a potential problem, Jack thought, since he had other, more exciting plans for tonight.

Either way, Jack's plans were completely forgotten the moment Jack entered Ennis's apartment. In less than a heart beat, Ennis pressed Jack against the door, firmly but not in a hurting way, closing it. Jack was still trying to comprehend how Ennis had accomplished it so fast when his boyfriend's lips covered his own in a demanding kiss. And if Jack had been surprised with Ennis's open show of affection during that night, he was amazed with the challenging desperation of Ennis's kiss.

There was no denying that Ennis had missed Jack just as much as he had missed Ennis.

When Ennis took Jack's hands by his wrist against the door, Jack was once again surprised. _Pleasantly_ surprised. Because Ennis rarely acted this aggressively during sex, but when he did, Jack had always found himself incredibly impressed in the end.

Their kiss continued, just as passionate as in the beginning and for a second, Jack thought that eventually Ennis would move them to the nearest couch. But he quickly changed his mind when he felt Ennis's hands moving to his trousers. In seconds, both pairs of trousers were gone, along with the underwear, and all Jack could do was _feel_. Ennis was everywhere, touching, kissing, biting… almost as if marking. Jack was in pure ecstasy.

He could not remember how he ended up being slammed against the door with each thrust, but he couldn't care less. They hadn't even exchanged any words the entire time. Nothing uttered except some groans and cries of pleasure. Especially Jack, who was finding the experience too good not to be vocal about it.

The rhythm was steady and slow and Jack's back was beginning to hurt a little, not that Jack minded much. He was completely lost in the moment, helpless, almost as if seeing a film of himself. But Ennis seemed to notice Jack's discomfort and quickly started to thrust harder and faster, moving his hand to stroke Jack's cock at the same pace.

They quickly climaxed and Ennis wasn't surprised when Jack cried out something along the lines of «_oh my God»_, when his orgasm hit him. He was also slightly impressed by how intense it all had been. He had the warmest of all smiles on his face when he laid his head on Jack's shoulder, not bothering to move from their awkward position.

Jack, whose back was now bothering him with a little bit of pain, tried to catch his breath, letting his head rub unconsciously against Ennis hair.

"I've missed you, baby." Ennis said for the second time that night.

"I've missed you too." Jack answered with a sigh.

Ennis finally found the straight to carry both of them to the bedroom. Jack quickly found himself cuddling against Ennis, as usual.

"I'm sorry, baby." Ennis whispered in Jack's ear.

Jack, who had almost been asleep, opened his eyes, trying to understand the words coming out of his boyfriend's mouth.

"For what, honey?"

"The whole "caveman" thing against the door. We should have made love tonight, exactly as you like it. But all I managed was this." Ennis sounded really sorry and Jack was surprised, almost amused.

"Ennis, this…" Jack said, waving at them, "was amazing! We were in need of it, after all this time apart from each other. We can make love tomorrow morning. After all, it is Saturday and Robert's flight isn't until 3 pm."

"You know I love you, don't you? I don't say it much, but surely you must know." Ennis whispered, caressing Jack's hair.

Jack mumbled something in return and Ennis smiled, feeling content as he hadn't felt in a long time.

* * *

"So she threw herself at you?" Jack asked, sounding a bit angry. 

"Not really, Jack. I think she was proposing to help me to get famous, or something."

"What is it with you and women? They all seem unable to resist you." Jack said looking at Ennis.

His blond boyfriend was currently eating his breakfast, wearing nothing more than his black silk boxers. Ennis must have used his static bicycle more in the last few days, because he was looking better than ever.

"Forget I ever asked that." Jack said shaking his head.

"Seriously, honey, I have no idea what you're talking about. Most women find me boring and cold." Ennis took a sip of his orange juice. "And we're talking about Madelyn Webber. I could be eighty years old, if she thought she could earn something seducing me, she would do it."

"What about Helen? She was crazy about you. Almost didn't believe you were sleeping with me." Jack said, abruptly waving the butter knife in his right hand. "Even Veronica went on a date with you."

"That was a terrible disaster and I only went because I was too stupid not to ask you." Ennis said in a seductive tone, which seemed to appease Jack. "And you shouldn't be this jealous. Since the moment our eyes locked, I haven't wanted anyone else but you. And you know it."

Jack smiled and leaned over for a vigorous kiss.

They had made love that morning, just as Jack had promised. It was exactly as Ennis had said it would be. Exactly as Jack liked it. Actually, Jack was thinking on repeating the previous performance, moving around from his chair and sitting on Ennis's lap, when the phone started to rang. Ennis made a frustrated sound.

"I should pick it up, honey." Ennis said, between kisses.

"Let the answering machine do it." Jack whispered after a few more seconds.

Finally the machine started to work. Ennis and Jack's small sounds of pleasure and delight were drowned out by Ennis's voice coming from the machine.

"_**You've **__**reached Ennis Del Mar. Currently I'm not at home or unavailable. Either way, in case of interest, please leave your message after the beep. I'll return your call as soon as I can. Thank you!"**_

"Let's move from currently unavailable to totally incapacitated." Jack smiled mischievously as his hands moved to waistband of Ennis's boxers.

"_**Beeeeeep. Mr. Del Mar? It's Mrs. Campbell. We have a situation relating to your current case. Mr. Dungeon needs to see you as soon as possible. I've tried to reach your mobile phone all day but it has been dead since last night. Don't worry, the matter could wait until this morning, but I was afraid you would like to be updated as soon as possible, so I called you at home. Please, Mr. Del Mar, as soon as you hear this message, call me. Oh, and have a nice day!"**_

"Jesus! I turned the phone off last night at the party. Completely forgot about it!"

Ennis and Jack stopped and looked at each other, more curious about the development on Ennis's case than disappointed by the interruption. Jack stood up and Ennis quickly moved to the bedroom.

"I'm sorry, baby. Maybe I can run to work and then return before Robert's departure. Maybe we could all have lunch together." Ennis said, but was surprised to see that Jack was getting dressed as well.

"Actually Ennis, I thought I'd go with you to the firm."

"Really? But you what about your vacation? It's been a week since you last went to the firm." Ennis asked, puzzled.

"I'll be back on Monday. Dad's going to help me take control of the management of the firm. But I'll tell you all about that later." Jack said putting on his shirt. "I know all about your case, you've just told me the last details. I can help you with whatever is happening with your client." Jack smiled. "I already miss being involved in a big case."

"If you want to help, come along. But I won't forget about you coming in on Monday to do whatever you said you were going to do with your father. I'll want details."

"We'll discuss that over the lunch you've just promised me." Jack said trying to find where in the small apartment he had lost his trousers last night.

"Ok, baby. Team Del Mar-Twist is going to save the day!" Ennis said with a happy smile.

* * *

Ennis was closing the door of his car, surprised that they had managed to arrive at the firm in such a short amount of time. Jack was following his every move, trying to reach the elevator as soon as possible. The blond lawyer looked at his boyfriend. He seemed oddly happy to be at the firm on a Saturday morning. Ennis didn't know why, but was surely thanking the gods for this small miracle. 

He had called his secretary a few minutes before asking her for more details, but all the older women knew was that Mr. Dungeon had been trying to reach him since Friday afternoon. The details, the business man had said, were confidential and for Ennis's ears only. There was an air of secrecy and Ennis's curiosity was on edge. Perhaps that's why Jack was so eager to arrive at Ennis's office. He was beyond curious too.

Ennis looked at Jack one more time. The brunette was leaving the elevator with a small smile on his lips. Yes, Jack was happy to be back and quite anxious to help him on this case, even if only for a small moment. And that was another reason for his sudden happiness.

The firm was fairly quiet, with only the younger lawyers working around the place. It was a completely different environment compared to the busy mornings during the week. Ennis noticed that his secretary was, as usual, seated at her desk, drinking from a steaming mug of coffee. When her eyes landed on them, Ennis smiled at her.

"Mrs. Campbell." Jack said smiling at Ennis's secretary. The discreet woman, raised an eyebrow at Jack's appearance, but it was quickly dismissed. After all, Ennis and Jack's relationship hasn't been a secret for a long time.

"Mr. Jack Twist and Mr. Del Mar, glad to have you both here at such short notice. I'm afraid Mr. Dungeon hasn't arrived yet." She smiled knowingly.

"I see." Ennis said, noticing that the red boxes were still surrounding Mrs. Campbell's chair, or perhaps these were completely new ones. Jack seemed to have noticed them too.

"What's up with all these envelopes?" He asked out of curiosity.

"Come on in and I'll tell you all about it." Ennis said moving to the door of his office. "Mrs. Campbell, as soon as Mr. Dungeon arrives, please send him to my office."

"Some things never change. You still have the tidiest office in the firm and I bet that if we took the time to visit mine, we would find that they still hadn't managed to dispose all the tons of paper I keep under my desk." Jack said while he closed the door.

"I bet you still miss the time when we shared a double office." Ennis said, sitting in his chair and turning on the computer.

"I bet you don't." Jack said laughing.

"You could be wrong." Ennis said in a teasing tone.

"But let's not forget you promised me that you would explain about all those envelopes. What is it? Fan mail?"

"No, but close. Hate mail. Courtesy of Madelyn Webber's fans."

"You're kidding right?" Jack asked in disbelief.

"It's been like this for weeks now. Crazy people who think we should drop all charges, just because Madelyn is the best actress they have ever seen."

"Do you think their threatening is dangerous? Perhaps I can speak with my father and find you some protection." Jack seemed concerned and Ennis smiled and leaned over his desk to hold Jack's hand.

"It's no big deal, baby. A few more weeks and this will all be over. And Mrs. Campbell is supervising the opening of all those letters. She would tell me if anything dangerous comes up."

"If you say so, I'll believe you. Just be careful."

"I will. I'm more worried about this whole thing with Mr. Dungeon. I have no idea what could have possibly gone wrong."

"Considering what you've told me about this case, I haven't the slightest clue what could have possibly freaked out your client." Jack said, letting Ennis's hand go.

Ennis was about to add something to their conversation, but his phone rang and Mrs. Campbell announced Mr. Dungeon's arrival. Ennis moved to the door, while Jack took a seat next to Ennis's chair. He was sure Mr. Dungeon would be glad to see him here. After all, the Dungeon family was one of the firm's oldest clients. Jack remembered that his grandfather had been the first to work with them, at the very beginning of the Magnet Firm.

"Mr. Dungeon, I'm glad you could make it so soon." Ennis said as soon as the older man opened the door.

"I'm sorry Mr. Del Mar. But I'm afraid the news I have couldn't have wait until our meeting on Monday." Mr. Dungeon sat down in the chair in front of Ennis's desk and looked surprised as his moved his attention to the other person in the room. "But who is this young man, Mr. Del Mar?"

"My mistake, Mr. Dungeon. I presumed you'd already met before." He smiled at his client. "Mr. Dungeon, let me introduce you to Mr. Twist. He…" Ennis was interrupted by the eager voice of Mr. Dungeon.

"What a pleasure! I'm afraid such a small case is unworthy of such a fine lawyer. I'm presuming that I'm speaking with Jack Twist? You've grown up so much, I wasn't able to recognize you." Mr. Dungeon said, moving to shake hands with Jack.

"In the flesh. It's a great pleasure indeed." Jack said with such a confident tone that he even impressed Ennis.

"If I knew you would be here, Mr. Twist, I would have brought my son with me. He's still too young to make any major decisions by himself, but he's old enough to meet his future lawyer in person."

"It's a great honour for me, Mr. Dungeon, just as it was for my grandfather all those years ago." Ennis was completely surprised at how Jack had managed to impress Mr. Dungeon further.

"Kind words, Mr. Twist. You have the charm of your grandmother. An amazing teacher, with the sweetest of all characters. I had the pleasure of meeting her a few times." Jack answered the compliments with the most genuine smile.

Ennis knew that Jack's grandmother, the history teacher, was one of Jack's childhood fondest memories. Jack had mentioned her, several times.

"Unfortunately, I wasn't able to accept this case. I'm currently working in issues involving the management of the firm. But Ennis is the very best. One of our most competitive lawyers and we've worked together several times." Ennis knew this last bit was a lie, but Mr. Dungeon couldn't know that.

"Yes, I'm aware, Mr. Twist. That was why when I was told that you couldn't take the case, I picked Mr. Del Mar. I knew he had the best reputation."

"And you can be sure that Mr. Del Mar keeps me constantly informed, in all events that matter. Actually, my presence here, now, proves that."

"Yes, yes. But I'm afraid we don't have good news, gentlemen." Mr. Dungeon said, finally looking again at Ennis. "I'm here because since Friday, that my jewellery stores have been having problems. It seems some of my clients have mysteriously backed out of some of our most recent business prospects. Also, one of our ships with an important gems cargo received an anonymous tip to the police, saying we were transporting drugs. The police have confiscated the boat and the cargo cannot be released for at least another week, which will delay our work several days. These are all small problems, but we're already talking about a good amount of money."

"This is bad news, indeed." Ennis said, caressing his jaw in wonder. "But I think we can help you with the confiscated cargo. We can press them with a lawsuit for financial damage. You'll have your gems in sooner than a week."

"I agree. My father has a few connections in the ministry. Considering we're talking about you, Mr. Dungeon, I'm sure he can pull out a favour." Jack said, reassuring the business man.

"I'm more worried about the basis of these events." Ennis said seriously. "After you left the previous meeting, Mr. Dungeon, Mr. Steel and Miss Webber were quite vocal in their threatening. Probably this is their doing."

"Do you think so?" Mr. Dungeon asked, his eyes widening with surprise.

"I'm almost sure. Mr. Steel told me we were going to have news from them soon. I'm afraid they're talking about this." Ennis said, remembering their meeting.

"Yes, this would totally fit in Webber's style. She's trying to scare you." Jack said sharing a brief glance with Ennis.

"And what do you think we can do?" Mr. Dungeon said looking at the two lawyers.

"If Madelyn Webber is behind these attacks, she might have made a serious mistake. This can be the proof we need to expose her character. I have a great detective in mind that can help us prove her involvement in these situations. Especially in the case of the ship." Ennis looked at Jack, who seemed to agree with his words. "I'm sure Mr. Twist agrees with me."

"Yes, it's a good strategy." Jack said nodding.

"Then that's what we'll do. I only hope she doesn't go any further with this." Mr. Dungeon said worriedly.

"I don't think she will. This was a warning. She's waiting to see our reaction. Until then, she won't try anything else." Jack said to Mr. Dungeon.

"And even _her_ contacts and influence only go so far." Ennis added.

"Then I will leave you with your work, gentlemen." Mr. Dungeon said standing up. "I am currently needed somewhere else."

"Once again, it was an immense pleasure, Mr. Dungeon." Jack said shaking hands with Mr. Dungeon for the second time that morning.

"The pleasure was all mine." He said smiling. "Mr. Del Mar, I'll be waiting to hear from you."

"Of course, Mr. Dungeon. Until then."

The business man left the room, and Ennis and Jack exchanged worried glances.

"Who would want Ennis Del Mar when they could have Jack Twist?" Ennis asked, humorously.

"You think you're so funny, don't you? The Dungeons have been friends of the family for many years. They always receive special treatment. You should be honoured they chose you to replace me." Jack smiled. "And you're doing a great job, honey. No need to be jealous."

"Yeah but I should've seen this one coming. The nerve of them. They had it all planned." Ennis said sitting back on his chair.

"Probably yes. And who knows what other things they still have up their sleeves." Jack said, returning from the door where he had left Mr. Dungeon.

"Of course! They knew it! That was why they were so happy about Mr. Dungeon's departure yesterday during the meeting. They already knew what was happening." Ennis said finally realizing.

"What a mess." Jack said.

"Something tells me this is just the beginning." Ennis leaned down on his chair. "I should have picked the murder case in Arizona. What was I thinking?"

"Come on." Jack said sitting in Ennis's lap. "If you were in Arizona, you couldn't possibly take me to lunch with you."

"You're right. And you know what? It's still early, so we can go and watch a movie until it's lunch time."

"Sounds great. Let's go to my favourite mall and do it all there."

"Deal." Ennis said and their heads moved at the exact same time so that their lips could share another long, loving kiss.

* * *

Ennis was more than excited. He had been planning this day for over a week. Secretly avoiding any reference to the date and exchanging opinions with Elizabeth at every possible chance. He had been very discreet about it, but still wasn't sure if Jack had suspected his intentions. 

They had spent the previous day with each other. After spending two and a half hours laughing at a new comedy/romance on the screen, Ennis had discussed with Jack the details of his case. And during the majority of the time of their lunch, the topic had been Jack's return to the firm, this time as future boss _in training_. It had all been good, especially after the last days of distance, to be able to be together without anything else to worry about.

Of course Jack wasn't stupid. He'd probably taken Ennis's silence as a clue to a possible surprise. And, as usual, he had been right. He was just far from knowing what was about to happen.

So there he was, Ennis De Mar, standing in front of the main door of Enrique Twist's house, waiting for someone to open the door for him. He had never seen Enrique's house before. Jack had spoken about it several times, but Ennis had never actually seen it. The house was located in one of the best neighbourhoods in New York. Probably a bit too far from the firm, but seeing as Enrique was the boss, it didn't seem to be much of a problem.

The house was an unusual colour. It looked to Ennis to be between pink and salmon, contrasted with the black steel doors and windows. For a lighter touch, the windows and the door were surrounded by a white granite stripe. And looking at the house for the first time, anyone would notice that there were many windows in the whole building. All the three different floors were surrounded with large black windows. In the middle of the building, one could see a big cylindrical structure surrounded with dark foggy windows, which Ennis predicted to be hiding the circular stairs for the different floors. In front of the house and until the ends of the property, there was only grass, palm tress and paths made of white granite. But Ennis knew, because Jack had told him so, that in the backyard, there were different kinds of fruit trees and a small lake. It was Jack's favourite place.

From the point where Ennis had been a few minutes ago, when he had left his car, one could tell that Enrique's house had probably been designed by some very rich and important architect. It was just as different as it was beautiful. And Ennis once more felt a little overwhelmed by how rich Jack Twist was. After all, all of this would be his one day.

A few minutes later, a young girl, who looked to be less than twenty years old, was opening the door for him.

"Yes? How can I help you?" She said smiling.

"I'm here to speak with Mr. Jack Twist. My name is Ennis Del Mar."

"Very well. If you could please follow me to the small living room, I'll make sure he receives you."

Ennis followed the young girl to the living room in silence. The room was big and almost totally surrounded with book shelves. It was impressive to realize, just how many books there were in the room, most of them about law. The small, empty spaces were filled with busts of important historical figures. Abraham Lincon, Albert Einstein, Leonardo Davinci, Mozart and a couple of others Ennis didn't recognize. But suddenly, Ennis eyes moved to a small photograph, displayed on one of the lost shelves.

In the photograph, a smaller and much younger version of Jack was smiling back, with one hand around Enrique's waist, the other holding a tennis racquet. Ennis was surprised by how similar Jack was to this much younger Enrique Twist of the photo. Instinctively, he reached and picked up the photo, moving it closer to his eyes. Ennis looked again at Jack, almost as if expecting the small kid to move and make a funny trick with his racquet.

"He was thirteen years old in that photo." A male voice said, surprising Ennis and he almost let the photograph fall from his hands. He quickly turned to the door, only to find an amused Enrique Twist looking at him.

"Good morning, Mr. Twist." Ennis said placing the photo back on its place.

"Good morning, Ennis." Enrique entered the room and sat down in an armchair near the fireplace. "Jack is getting dressed. He was still eating breakfast and clearly had forgotten you were coming today."

"Actually, he didn't know. It was supposed to be a surprise." Ennis looked at the sofa and wondered if he should sit down. In the end, he decided to stay standing.

"Yes. The anniversary! Jack mentioned something about that the other night." His tone showed absolutely no interest, but at least it wasn't disapproving. "You know Del Mar, I'm still not pleased, but Jack has convinced me that you're worth a chance."

Ennis didn't know what exactly Enrique meant with those words but he was happy to no longer be in the doghouse with the man. Perhaps he could still convince the older man of his good intentions.

"You're a good lawyer. One must give you that! Jack told me about your new case and I wanted to tell you that if you need any help, you may ask me. The Dungeons are like family. We only wish the very best for them. So, don't hesitate."

"Thank you, Mr. Twist." Ennis really didn't know what else to say.

"Don't thank me. I still have my eye on you. Especially now that I'm going to be back to the firm on Monday." Enrique glared at Ennis and the younger lawyer repressed the urge to sigh. "I'm only doing this for Jack's sake. And…" Enrique was interrupted by Jack's arrival to the room.

"And I thank you father." Jack said shocking his head and smiling. "Trying to make Ennis run away in fear?"

"He's too stubborn for that." Enrique said looking at Ennis one last time. "And now if you let me, I'm returning to my room. I've already entertained our guest long enough."

"Do you feel entertained?" Jack asked with humour, when his father left.

"Tremendously!" Ennis said smiling. "It's your fault for leaving me alone with him."

"Did he ask you if you wanted to give your kids the Twist surname?" Jack asked, admiring the shocked look on Ennis's face. "See? I've saved you from much worse, arriving now. He's been crazy about the legacy of the Twist name and me being the last Twist for the last couple of days."

"Then I'm glad you saved me, shining knight. Now come here and give me a kiss." Ennis said, opening his arms for a kiss that lasted a couple of minutes. "Much better. By the way, happy anniversary, baby."

"Happy anniversary." Jack sighed, resting his head on Ennis chest. "So, what is that you're doing here, so early in the morning."

"It's 9 am, Jack. It's not that early, really." Ennis said looking at Jack. "I'm here to take you on your anniversary surprise trip."

"Really? So this is what you've been planning?"

"How did you know?"

"I've suspected only."

"Great, because here is your new friend, a blindfold." Ennis said, taking out the black bandanna.

"So, where are we going? Are we back on Monday?"

"We're going to fly, but only for a few hours. And that's all I'm telling you. And yes, I expect us to be back on Monday." Ennis took Jack's hand and moved toward the door. "Are you ready?"

"Two months surprise anniversary trip, here I come!" Jack said laughing, still with his hands in the air, trying hard not to break any of Enrique's expensive china.

Ennis couldn't help but feel the excitement in the air. Was Jack going to like it? He could only pray that the answer would be yes.

* * *

**Author: **_Even thought everyone seems to like my slash scenes, I'm never that confident about them. Either way, I hope you enjoy this sweet, sweet chapter! The next one is going to be just as sweet, I promise! And then is back to the firm's work in chapter 27._

_**On the next chapter:**__ It's all about this special two months anniversary! Sorry but can't ruin the surprise!_


	26. Another piece of Ennis's soul

_**Author's Note: **__Thank you so very much for my friend _Kathy (**kittie8571**_) who is the Beta of this story! _

_Thank you everybody for the reviews! Especially to __**ifyoucantfixit**__**VP**__**Jada 91**__**Debra**__**LaValley**__**Ana**__**gr lewis**__ and __**WCUGirl.**_

* * *

**Chapter Twenty Six: The other piece of Ennis's soul**

Jack was beyond curious. After three hours of traveling – they'd driven for a time and then took an airplane that Jack thought was a Concord – they were now driving again for more than a few minutes. By now, Jack's curiosity was reaching seriously high levels and he couldn't help but talk twice as much as he normally would. He was, after all, Jack Twist.

"Honey, are we there yet?" Jack asked for the third time in the last five minutes.

"For the love of God! No! And you're starting to sound like the donkey in that Shrek movie." Ennis said annoyed.

They sat in silence after that. But only for a few minutes.

"How do you know there's a scene like that in the movie?" Jack asked, feeling curious about it. "You've seen it, haven't you?"

"Hmm." Ennis murmured, keeping his eyes on the road.

"I can't believe it!" Jack laughed loudly, keeping a hand on his blindfold to prevent it from falling. "You've actually seen it!"

"It was a lonely night! Blockbuster was almost out of good movies and someone had mentioned to me that Eddie Murphy was funny in it." Ennis huffed, slightly angry, while Jack was still laughing.

"Really?" Jack asked between gasps. He'd actually laughed until tears started to fall from his eyes. He found the fact that Ennis liked movies for kids hilarious and he didn't even know why.

"I found Eddie Murphy funny." Ennis said lamely. Jack just let Ennis rest for a couple of seconds until the urge to speak struck him again.

"I never thought you were an Eddie Murphy fan!"

"Why? I _do _have a sense of humour." Ennis snapped. He was starting to feel sensitive about the issue.

"Honey, you know…" Jack stopped in the middle of the sentence, his cell phone had begun to ring and he was forced to reach blindly for it. When he finally found it in his left pocket, Jack quickly pressed the green button, hoping it wasn't someone from the firm.

"Hello?" Jack asked smiling. "Oh, it's you!"

Ennis took a glance at Jack. He was quite sure that it was Elizabeth, probably asking if they had yet reached their destination. Ennis had asked her for her help with this anniversary surprise. Actually, Ennis never stood a chance to _not _let her know about his plans since the blond woman always sifted through his secrets and he had hastily learned that that it was better to share with her on these small projects than to face her morbid curiosity.

As usual, she had been happy to help and gave Ennis an enormous amount of suggestions. Ennis didn't mind a bit. He liked Elizabeth's judgment and the older woman knew Jack like no one else.

But Ennis had someone else helping him. Mr. Santos had, once again, offered his assistance in New York. The pleasant billionaire had been happy to help Ennis, with whom he had a great relationship. He offered his Concord, with all the crew members, and extended Ennis an invitation to his wedding. Mr. Santos's wedding was now scheduled for late November. After Ennis had gratefully thanked him for the informal invitation, Mr. Santos promised to make a visit to the firm soon and maybe even bring a formal invitation, which would have been printed by that time.

Ennis had enjoyed speaking with the businessman. Mr. Santos was always polite, with a life force of a typical Spanish man. It was a delight. The conversation changed from ETA to Mr. Santos's latest Ferrari purchase. Ennis had even found the courage to confess that his plans were for none other than Jack Twist, and it had been a surprise when the older man had laughed in response. Mr. Santos confessed to Ennis that he was impressed with him for, in his opinion, being able to "catch" such a fine young man. Ennis was left speechless and utterly embarrassed. Mr. Santos indeed had an astonishing personality.

"So, you know?" Jack asked into his cell phone in the passenger's seat, wakening Ennis from his daydreaming session. Ennis looked at the other man, who was now smiling.

"Of course, she knew!" Ennis said with a small smirk.

"Yeah. He's still driving."

There was a small moment of silence, when all Ennis could hear was the unintelligible sounds, coming from Jack's cell phone. Then, Jack spoke again.

"No, but ok. I'll call you again. Probably after we arrive where ever it is that we're going." Jack sighed loudly, hoping to get some new clue from Ennis. Of course, that didn't happened.

"Bye, Beth. See you on Monday, or so I hope." Jack said to the mobile phone.

Ennis tried hard not to laugh, as he glanced at Jack. His boyfriend looked adorable. Jack was sitting on the passenger's seat, holding the phone in his right hand and looking completely defeated, with his left hand on his blindfold and his head pressed against the window.

Jack must have heard his not-so-silent laughing, because seconds after, he was back to being grumpy and annoyed.

"You better tell me we're going to be there soon! My head is spinning and my back is hurting. Ennis Del Mar…" He didn't get to finish because Ennis put a hand on his shoulders and spoke.

"Baby, we've just arrived."

"Can I take this damn thing off?" Jack asked excitedly.

"No! You're going to wait until I get you in front of the place!" Ennis said, turning off the engine.

Jack waited in silence. He had been waiting since they left his father's house this morning. A few more minutes wouldn't make any difference. The problem was that by now, he was trembling with excitement and the suspense was literally killing him. Jack told himself that whatever it was, where ever they were, he was going to like it. No, better, he was going to love it, if only for the fact that Ennis went through all this trouble to give him an anniversary surprise.

But he did have a couple of fears. If Elizabeth had helped and approved, the surprise should be, at the very least, perfect. So, when Ennis took his hand and guided him to the unknown place, he was smiling widely. He quickly noticed that the weather was much hotter than in New York and by this time, they should be in another state.

By the time Ennis's hands caressed his skin while trying to untie the blindfold, Jack was shaking. He couldn't wait another second. He took a deep breath and he opened his eyes.

The bright light blinded him for a few seconds. He was desperately trying to see, but it was impossible. He could felt Ennis's hands resting on his shoulders, peacefully waiting. Once again, he tried to look in front of him, blinking hard from the brightness. He finally was able to see.

The landscaping was completely different from the one he was used to, or was expecting to see. Red sand and short, green vegetation painted the ground. The small breeze that he felt was even hotter than the air around them. They were standing next to a road, on the top of a hill. The car was parked not too far away. Looking down at the view in front of them, Jack could see what it looked like on a typical Texan ranch. His heart skipped a beat, and he suddenly realized where they were.

"Ennis? Where are we?" He asked, still not convinced. He desperately needed to hear the words coming from Ennis's mouth.

"That Mr. Twist…" Ennis said pointing to the ranch in front of them. "It's the Del Mar ranch."

Jack smiled. He couldn't help it. He was completely sure that this was going to be one of those moments, that even after many years, you still have a clear picture of what happened. You never know when they're coming, but when you're living them, you have that little feeling that you're never going to forget them. Mental pictures that last forever and to which we attach the various feelings of the different moments. We live in order to collect those memories, when the spirit is shining and life changes forever. And this one, Jack was sure, was going to be one of those.

"God, honey." Jack whispered, overwhelmed with emotions.

There were no words for a moment like this and nothing Jack could say would come near to what he was feeling. But one thing was sure; he was grateful. Grateful that Ennis had found the courage to take him to the most precious place in his heart for the blond lawyer. Grateful that Ennis loved him enough to show him where a part of his soul was constantly resting. Because Jack knew that where ever Ennis was, whatever he did, a small part of him was always on this ranch. The place where he had been born. The same place where his parents had lived almost all their lives.

"I see you like your surprise." Ennis said, hugging him from behind. They were far from the ranch and Ennis was sure no one could see them.

"Yes, very much. Thank you." Jack turned around and faced him, sliding his lips over Ennis's for a feverish kiss.

"Happy anniversary, baby." Ennis murmured, still hugging Jack.

"Two months. Can you believe it?"

"Sometimes it feels like so much longer."

"You're right." Jack replied, letting go of his boyfriend but still holding his hand.

He took some time to look at the ranch again. From the top of the hill, where they were standing, Jack could only see the beginning of the huge wooden fence. The ranch was much bigger than he had previously imagined. The limits of the Del Mar ranch's territory were far from being seen. In front of the wooden sign with the ranch's name, there was a small path, clearly made by the uncountable times their workers had used it. This path led to a very small house also made of wood. Jack predicted that there was supposed to be the place where the workers had their rest. Not far from it, there was a big stable, but Jack couldn't see any horses from where he was standing. Actually, there were no horses in sight. Only a couple of big brown cows, which were lazily eating on a very distant piece of land inside the visible limits of the ranch. Not far from the cows, there was a house, all painted in white, with small blue portals covering the windows. It was old but quite beautiful and Jack thought he could imagine a small Ennis running around it. Right next to the house, a big but badly constructed garage had its doors open, showing the front of an orange tractor. On the left side of the house, someone had parked an old, light blue van. It was a typical ranch, at least in Jack's point of view, where you could probably find one or two dogs and a handful of big, tough, hard workers.

"You know, Jack? We can't walk around like this." Ennis said looking at their joined hands. "These are old fashioned people. It's better not to call attention to ourselves."

"I figured you would say that." Jack replied, still looking at the ranch. "And I think you're right. No need to scare your employees."

Jack could easily understand Ennis's position. After all, these were the men that worked for his boyfriend. Typical Texan guys, who liked their bear cold and their women with big breasts. This last thought made Jack's face frown in disgust. Sometimes he was too gay for his own good.

"Let's go then." Ennis said, moving to the car.

Jack looked one last time to the ranch, after running out, trying to reach the car at the same time as Ennis.

* * *

Ennis parked the car in front of the large sign bearing his family name. It was good to be back at the ranch and it was wonderful to finally bring company with him. He glanced at Jack, who looked tremendously happy but not less excited. He hadn't been wrong. Jack had loved the surprise. He only wondered if Jack would completely understand the meaning of this visit. 

"Follow me. I have a couple of things to talk about with the two keepers. They're the ones living in my old family house. The rest of men live in the closest villages." Ennis closed his door. Jack, who was on the other side of the car, only nodded.

They walked in the direction of the small wooden house Jack had observed before. And if it looked rather simple from the outside, the inside had not improved Jack's opinion. There was only one window and the walls had been painted a terrible shimmering yellow. It was indeed a place to rest, with small chairs displayed all around the division. The smallest television Jack had ever seen was on the top of a wooden lath and a coffee machine was right next to a deck of cards on the table. Finally, as the final touch in the decoration, Jack noticed the calendars of nude women hanging on the walls.

"Nice taste. I think I saw something like this at Tiffany's." Jack said mockingly.

"Yes. Thank God the house looks exactly as my mum left it. You're going to like it better."

"We're not staying the night, are we?" Jack asked happily.

"No, maybe next time. If you want to, of course." Ennis said, moving to the grey phone next to the window. Jack hadn't noticed it was there. "Mr. Gorman, the younger one, always goes shopping on Sunday. When I call and they don't pick up, I usually call the local shop and they're there."

Jack nodded in silence and took the opportunity to examine the rest of the room. There was a black door on Ennis's right side. Jack didn't see it the first time because from that angle, it had been hidden with a wardrobe. Jack wondered where it would lead to; perhaps a bathroom or a storage room. His eyes moved from the door back to the window where Ennis was waiting for someone to pick up his call. He was surprised to find a piece of paper under Ennis's left foot. Quickly, he bent down to pick it up, surprising Ennis.

On the small piece of paper, covered with grey dirt thanks to Ennis's shoes, was a large and simple handwriting. Jack read it out loud.

_Deacon,_

_I went to Seixo's for the usual shopping. Don't worry. I won't forget to bring you the stupid yogurts! I woke up and you'd already left, since old Smith wasn't in his compartment, and I remembered about the fence in the north. For God's sake -- it's Sunday!_

_Just don't forget that Ennis is coming today!_

_G. _

"I wonder if Mr. Deacon has already returned." Ennis said turning off the phone.

"I don't get it. Who's Smith?"

"A horse, of course, Jack." Ennis said smiling.

"That makes sense." Jack said looking at the piece of paper in his hands.

"Come on, let's check in the house. He's probably there."

"Great." Jack was eager to see the interior of the house.

They walked out of the small house and Jack was surprised by how far the main house was. From the top of the hill, he couldn't really tell. Since they had arrived at the ranch, everything looked bigger to Jack.

"Are we going to walk all the way to the house?" Jack asked concerned.

"Jack, it's only a few miles. And it should only take us about 10 minutes."

Jack wasn't happy but he managed to stay silent about it. Ennis took the time to introduce him to some of the ranch's works and investments. They were currently producing a big amount of cotton, but the ranch was well-known for the quality of its cattle and broilers. Ennis told Jack that some of their land was surrounding a small local lake. There were also several water troughs, spin feeders and irrigation wells. All extremely new, thanks to recent investments. Jack was surprised to hear that the ranch still didn't have enough profit to sustain these investments. It all had been done with Ennis's personal money.

When they reached the entrance of the house, a tall man walked out the door. He was older than Ennis and Jack with grey hair that made Jack think that he should be, at least, in his fifties. The older man was clearly surprised to see them. He had dark brown eyes and was quite muscular for his age, Jack noticed.

"Mr. Del Mar! How good to see you!" The man said smiling, quickly moving to shake Ennis's hand. "I went to work on a fence on the north part of the property. Its Sunday so I had to go alone. Anyway, I saw that I'd arrived too late to properly welcome you, right?"

"No problem, Mr. Deacon. We read a note that Mr. Gorman left you and we decided to check to see if you'd already arrived." Ennis said returning the smile. "By the way, this is my friend Jack Twist."

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Twist." Mr. Deacon said nodding with his head and offering his hand.

"The pleasure is mine." Jack said still observing the other man. He looked exactly like the cowboys in the movies and Jack found it very odd to be facing a man like that in real life.

"I guess the least I can do is give you both a lift in my tractor. I'm sure you're going to the stables, right?"

"Yeah. That was the plan. I'm just not sure if Jack knows how to ride." Ennis said looking at Jack.

"Yes! I completely forgot. City folks, right?" Mr. Deacon said with a smile.

"Well, I'm sorry to disappoint both of you, but I've known how to ride since I was nine years old." Jack said proudly.

"Good for you, Mr. Twist. We have some of the most beautiful horses in Texas." The older man said matter-of-factly.

"Well I wouldn't say it myself…" Ennis murmured shyly.

"Ok, I understand. Let's take the ride so that I can judge the horses myself."

"That's the spirit Mr. Twist!" Mr. Deacon said smiling. "This way. Well, you've probably already seen my tractor, right?"

"Yes, it's quite a beauty." Jack said looking at his shoes. His Hugo Boss shoes were already ruined with all the sand and dust of the road. He understood that his Armani trousers were headed in the same direction, especially if he was going to ride with them.

But this wasn't entirely his fault. Because Ennis hadn't warned him about the trip, he didn't wear something suitable for a day at a ranch. His expensive new clothes were perfect for a lovely lunch in New York, not for riding around on a tractor. Perhaps that was why Mr. Deacon kept looking at him and smiling. And what was it with the man and the question _«Right»_? Some kind of tick, perhaps?

"Well, then I'll get you to the stables and I'll wait for Gorman to start making a wonderful dinner of all of us. It's a good plan, right?"

"Yes. It's perfect. We'll return to the house as soon as we get back from our riding trip." Ennis sat on the back of the tractor, leaving the passenger's seat to Jack.

"I don't know how much Ennis has told you about the ranch, but I'm the main cattle rancher. The sheep, the cows and horses are directly under my administration. Gorman, the man you're going to meet at dinner, works mostly with the cotton production." He was driving the huge tractor, while speaking with Jack.

"Ennis gave me a general idea."

"Well, he's the main reason the ranch is still thriving. If it wasn't for his investment, we'd a been long gone. And the same will happen to the lands surrounding us, right?" The older man waived his hand in an undefined direction. "All that this land needs is investment and unfortunately, money is something we don't have much of around here. Mr. Del Mar was a happy exception."

"So, you're thinking of expanding the business?" Jack asked Ennis.

"Yes, as soon as I've got enough capital."

Jack thought about asking how much Ennis would spend in the expansion of the ranch, but he was fighting the urge to lend the money. He was sure that if he made such an offer, Ennis would be offended. He had sensed Ennis's discomfort regarding his wealth and had decided to avoid such matters. He wanted Ennis to be comfortable with him in each and every aspect of their lives.

"I can't wait to show you Medusa!" There was an enthusiastic tone in Ennis's voice.

"Medusa?" Jack asked curiously.

"Our must beautiful mare. It's a white Lusitanian mare."

"Doesn't Medusa mean ugly woman?"

"It's a type of butterfly, right?" Mr. Deacon asked in his unique way of questioning every statement.

"It's also one of the three Gorgons in mythology." Ennis added.

"What an odd name for a mare." Jack murmured.

"Well, I guess it's all Christopher's fault. He was the one at the stables when she was born and so he was the one who decided on the name. I liked it."

"No name would ever do her justice. You wait and see. You're going to love her." Ennis said with a twinkle in his eyes.

Jack smiled, feeling happy.

Yes. These were the moments that we record in our minds. The small precious instances when our soul is content and complete. When everything else is forgotten and the small pieces of our lives fit in. And even knowing they can't last forever, we can't help but hope they will.

And Jack was no exception.

* * *

Ennis's legs were hurting. Actually, his entire lower body was in pain. They had ridden for almost three hours. He couldn't remember the last time he had ridden for so long. He was totally out of practice. But the same thing could not be said about Jack Twist. Jack had proved to be an extremely talented rider and was now walking in a quick pace to the house, obviously showing no signs of pain. 

"Slow down. I'm in pain here." Ennis complained. His ego was, by now, completely destroyed.

"You're lacking in training. Perhaps next time you can come with me to my uncle's club and ride one of his horses."

"So that's why you rode so well today."

"You shouldn't be so surprised."

"Yeah, I guess I shouldn't."

They were almost to the entrance of the house. Ennis was eager to give Jack the grand tour. For, him this was no ordinary house. This was the house were he was born. The place where he had first dreamed to be rich and famous in New York. The dream that would eventually lead him to Jack. The beginning of everything that happened and everything that was about to happen. And it's always magical to return to the starting point.

"They must be waiting for us." Ennis said knocking on the door.

Jack was still looking around like a tourist visiting the Sistine Chapel for the very fist time. There was so much to see, so many details to admire and yet no one seems to concentrate enough to truly appreciate it. Even though each and every visitor had previously sworn that they would cherish every single paintbrush done by genius Miguel Angelo. The look on Jack's face was exactly the same.

"Ennis, how good to see you." Mr. Gorman said with the smallest of all smiles. Jack was surprised to see that Mr. Gorman was much younger than Mr. Deacon. Actually, he looked to be closer to Jack and Ennis's age. But there was something in the way he moved and spoke that reminded Jack of a wild horse. It also made him look older.

"It's good to see you too, Mr. Gorman."

"Come on, Ennis. We went to school together and you still insist on calling me Mr. Gorman. I can understand it in front of the ranchers or during calls, but not right now!" His upper lip made the smallest of all movements, struggling to smile.

"If you insist, Gorman." Ennis laughed, shaking hands with his favourite rancher. "Let me first introduce you to my friend and colleague, Jack Twist."

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Twist." The man said in a low tone.

"Nice to meet you too." Jack said, still intrigued with the man standing in front of him.

"Let's not dawdle. Ennis, lead your friend to the dinning room. The food is waiting for me in the kitchen. It will be ready in a minute." He turned and moved to the right. After a few seconds they heard him speak from the kitchen. "Take a look at the new curtains! Rachel from the shop at the village sold them to me at a very reasonable price."

It was the fact that Gorman spoke with the enthusiasm of the gossip section after church that totally didn't match his facial expressions or his old cowboy attitudes. He was an odd character, Jack sensed. A complex man with a simple life, or perhaps a man with a sad story. Or even the reflection of a traumatizing childhood.

Ennis took Jack to the dining room, which was open to the living room. It was an ample room, with a couple of green sofas and a television on the right side and an old set of chairs and table made of oak-wood on the left side. The curtains that Mr. Gorman mentioned matched the green of the sofas. The walls were covered in old, but well preserved, wall-paper, the pattern consisting of pick roses and beautiful robins in flight. Oddly enough, it all matched perfectly.

"So, I see you've returned. Bet you got a wonderful time, right?" Jack was surprised to see that Mr. Deacon was seated in one of the green sofas. He had clearly not noticed the man's presence during his examination.

"Yes, and we had a wonderful time." Ennis said, moving to sit on the sofa next to Mr. Deacon.

"No, no. Let's sit at the table. Last time I checked, the food was almost ready."

When they were all seated around the table, Mr. Gorman appeared carrying a huge pressure cooker. Jack couldn't remember the last time he had seen another. Probably on TV commercials.

"Chicken and Artichokes with Bowtie Pasta! I saw the recipe on the Martha Stuart Show. When you told me yesterday that you were bringing a friend, I thought I should give it a try." The rancher said taking out the tamper.

It looked delicious so Jack dismissed the surprised look on Ennis's face and eagerly attacked the fabulous dinner. They all complimented Mr. Gorman and engaged in small talk about the ranch and the weather in Texas. Jack had a very nice time. Mr. Deacon was the most curious about Jack and Ennis's work and Jack was happy to tell him all about it, even giving details about previous cases. The older man was as curious as he was smart.

"Ennis? Can you come to the kitchen, please? There are a few papers I'd like to show you." Gorman said to Ennis when the meal was over.

Ennis looked at Jack, who was at the moment explaining to Mr. Deacon how his grandfather had come out with the idea of being a lawyer. He was surprised to see the ease between the two men but was relieved to see Jack fit in this place so well. He decided to follow Deacon to the kitchen without disturbing Jack.

"Is this about the offer to buy the ranch? Because if it is, don't worry. The man phoned me in New York and I thanked him, but declined the offer." Ennis said when they entered the kitchen. "I told him that maybe you guys could help him find some other ranch near by."

"No, is not that Ennis." Gorman said looking at the floor. He was leaning against the sink and looked uncomfortable. Ennis decided that maybe it was better to sit in one of the white stools.

"Is it money?"

"No. Look, it's difficult for me to talk with you about this. But I still see you as the local kid I've known all my life, and that didn't change when I started to work for you. You're like a cousin to me. Like family." Ennis was confused but remain silent. "You're a good man and God knows how much this town owes you. If it weren't for you, half of our kids woulda left to go to the city. This ranch gave jobs to most of them."

Ennis was about to ask where this was leading but Gorman raised his hand, pleading for a few more minutes of silence.

"I always worried about you. You always worked so much, always sending more and more money to the ranch. But every time I saw you, you were always alone. Your parents used to worry about that too. You'd rarely come to visit us and we'd grown used to only seeing you on TV. When your parents died and I saw you at the funeral, I understood. You were completely alone with your dream. And I wondered if anyone would come to rescue you from that." Ennis was nervous, wondering where this conversation was leading.

"Short time later, you asked me and Deacon to take care of the place. You start visiting more regularly but still alone. You had me convinced that it's going to end like that. But today you came, for the first time, with company. And believe me, if I didn't know you so well, I woulda believed that he was _only_ your friend."

Ennis opened his eyes in shock. How could this man know him so well? How had he found out? Had they subconsciously given signals? Who else knew? Was he about to show how disgusted he was? Was he going to quit his job? Ennis's mind worked overtime forming question after question.

"I hope I'm not overstepping, Ennis. I know you always saw me as a distant friend from Texas. But I was friends with your parents and if you hadn't gone to law school, we probably woulda ended up closer than brothers. But when your parents died, I was a stranger to you and it didn't make much difference to me. I was even surprised when you asked me to run the ranch for you." Gorman smiled and Ennis found the courage to murmur.

"Father used to say great things about you…"

"I suspected it. So, you understand? I'm talking to you like a brother." Gorman's eyes locked with Ennis's. "I suspected when you called me yesterday, but it was clear during dinner. Obvious only for the ones looking for the right signs, but still clear. Jack is your boyfriend, isn't he?"

Ennis's mind wanted to deny it, wanted to run away and never come back. But even using his logic, he could conclude that there was no denying. The man standing in front of him knew him too well. It had been another surprise, but it was the truth. He still had some family in Texas and it was all due to this man. And he had easily guessed, just as his parents would have guessed if they were still alive. He also knew that he wanted to come back with Jack to the ranch, wanted to be open with Gorman about this. He felt the man deserved that, even if he couldn't understand why so.

"Yes. It's also quite recent." Ennis whispered.

"I'm happy for you, Ennis. He seems to be a good man and he obviously makes you very happy." Ennis couldn't understand the _obviously_ part but he was relieved with Gorman's words.

"I hope I didn't embarrass you to confirm my suspicions. I told you all this because I wanted to know something else. Are you and Mr. Twist going to visit the ranch often?"

Ennis was still confused with all this conversation but he managed to mumble a _yes_.

"Ok. I think there's not much to worry about. Like I've said, these people owe you a lot and as long as you don't give them a free show, they won't care who you bring to the ranch. I hope you understand. There's a few gay men around here, but people are still not that openminded." He sighed and a small smile appeared on his face

"I would never have expected you to take this so easily. But then you were right. I don't know you as well as you apparently know me." Ennis added the last part with a hint of sadness.

"Ennis, it's not too late to be friends. Come to the ranch more often and bring Jack. I'll deal with Deacon, in case he suspects anything. Although I seriously doubt that will happen soon."

"I have a strong feeling that I'm meeting you for the first time again." Ennis said smiling and shaking his head.

"Hi, my name is David Gorman."

"Ennis Del Mar." Ennis laughed while they shook hands.

"I hope you can forgive me for this, Ennis. I needed to be sure, so that I could help you." He let his hand rest on Ennis's shoulder. "And I also wanted to let you know how close I feel to you, even if only for my part."

"I hope we can change that in the future, David." Ennis said frankly.

"I hope so too, Ennis."

* * *

Jack felt tired. It had been a long day, and after the joyful dinner they had shared, his body was asking for some rest. He looked at his blond boyfriend. Ennis was driving in silence, eyes on the road with a focused expression on his face. A smile on his lips and a relaxed posture told Jack that Ennis was happy. Notoriously happy. 

Jack was feeling no different. He had enjoyed meeting Mr. Deacon and Mr. Gorman and having the opportunity to know more about this side of Ennis, a side which was usually well hidden in New York. It had been a clear sign of trust, one he didn't know he deserved.

"Ennis? What do you think about us coming here more often? I really liked the place."

"I hope so. We don't have much time, as you well know. But I'm glad you liked and it was a good time for me too. I hadn't been here for more than a month. After my parents died, I started to come to the ranch more often…"

Jack could see that Ennis was remembering those trying times. Or perhaps it was something else; he wasn't so sure anymore.

"Anyway, I trust Mr. Deacon and Mr. Gorman with the financial decisions, so it leaves me with little to do here. But I like to see it for myself to watch the improvements grow into something real."

"They sure are a funny pair." Jack said with a small smile.

"Don't start with you're crazy ideas. They're not!"

"What? I didn't say anything." Jack murmured, pretending to be completely innocent.

"You thought."

"Well… They do act like an old couple." Jack said laughing a bit.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, but Gorman is not. About Mr. Deacon I'm not completely sure, but I think he was married back in the eighties. Either way, he's too old for that now."

"Too old for being gay?" Ennis was even surprised with the humorous tone in Jack's voice. "Oh my God! That means that when we reach our sixties we won't be gay no more! What are we going to do? Play cards?" Jack dropped his hand against his forehead, in a dramatic display worthy of a Greek tragedy.

"Are you done? It was an expression, ok? I just don't think he's gay. End of discussion!"

"Ok, ok. No need to get touchy. I was just joking and you know it. They are good men and I liked them, even though Mr. Gorman looked at us kinda funny all through dinner."

"He suspected it. He even told me so." Ennis said looking at Jack in the eye. The humorous expression had left Jack's face. He was now deadly serious. "Don't worry, honey. He was quite happy for me."

"Really?" Jack asked intrigued.

"It was the revelation of a lifetime, like knowing someone but not truly knowing him till that moment."

Jack stayed silent, trying to understand where that left them. He wanted to return to the ranch. He had loved the place, the horses and the surroundings. But he was aware that this was Ennis's past. The place where he had been born. The place where he had invested half of his money. The money he had earned being a lawyer. He would understand if this would be the only time he'd ever visit the Del Mar's ranch. He was willing to sacrifice that.

"I understand, honey."

"You do? Because I was surprised with his speech. But I guess he was right. Those people do owe me a lot and as long as we're not blatant, they wouldn't care who I have in my house or in my bed. As for the staff, they're all good people and David promised he would deal with them."

"So now he's David?"

"It's a long story and I promise, I'll tell you everything tomorrow. You look tired and honestly, I still need to do some serious thinking about it."

"I see." Jack mumbled. He was utterly surprised. He hadn't expected this.

"I guess this means we're coming back together again."

"Yes. We'll be back." Jack murmured and his eyes moved to the landscape running past his window.

He couldn't help but feel that he had won another small piece of Ennis's heart. Or perhaps it wasn't only a small piece. Right now, he wasn't completely sure.

* * *

**Author: **_I loved this chapter! The idea came to me on Italy and I was surprised with the final result. It was supposed to be post on Sunday but I couldn't wait to share it with my dear readers. Wasn't it sweet?_

_**On the next chapter:**__ Jack is back to the firm but working with his father. Ennis is the target of Jack's little seduction at the office but the couple has more than love to share. The Dungeon's case is only now beginning and the suspicion is in the air! And who is the mysterious man who wants to meet with Ennis?_


	27. Life has a funny way of checking up on y

_**Author's Note: **__Thank you so very much for my friend _Kathy (**kittie8571**_) who is the Beta of this story! _

_Thank you everybody for the reviews! Especially to __**ifyoucantfixit**__**, Jada 91, **__**Debra**__**gr lewis, max3b1, ann-sue**__ and __**WCUGirl**_

* * *

**Chapter Twenty Seven****: Life has a funny way of checking up on you **

There was a tension in the air so intense, that it was almost physical. And if he concentrated enough, Jack would swear that he could see the joints of electricity between them. It had been this way since they had left the house this morning after breakfast. And it was only natural, since he was being forced to do something he didn't want to. Deep inside his soul, Jack knew that this was something he wasn't ready for.

His father had been irritated all morning, probably because Jack had arrived home so late the previous night in the company of, none other than, one Ennis Del Mar. And even knowing he had been celebrating his two months anniversary, his father had been mostly displeased. Jack knew that it was once again due to his father's dislike for Ennis. His father's little obsession was, by now, painfully annoying.

Jack had tried everything to convince his father that this relationship was important to him. But nothing seemed to appease the older man. Jack still couldn't understand his father's attitude.

Even considering Enrique's fragile psychological state and having a long conversation with Dr. Whistle, the psychiatrist, Jack couldn't find a reason for this strong dislike.

Surely there must be some other reason, Jack thought numerous times.

Lately he was beginning to believe that all of this was related to one special last wish of his father. That wish kept appearing in their conversations of late. The desire for the Twist legacy to continue after Jack. The need Enrique felt for Jack to promise him that, no matter what, he was going to have a son or a daughter before the end of his life.

Jack was fighting hard not to agree with everything his father asked him. After all, these were his father's last wishes. But this particular one was giving him a serious headache. He'd thought about kids before. A couple of his gay friends already had them and the Thomases had been thinking about it since they got married. Gay couples mostly had them by surrogacy or by silent arrangements with female friends. Not to mention all the kids his straight friend couples already had. He was already 30, approaching the natural age to settle down. But times were different nowadays. Women could have healthy kids into their 40s and sometimes even 50s. Men had no age limit, so he was far from being worried. It all made sense to him. He didn't regret any chance he had had to have kids in the past and didn't foresee much chance in the near future.

He'd known he was gay from a very young age and he had quickly understood that having a family would be an even more complicated step for him than to an average man. He was well-off financially, gay and hopelessly romantic. As a young adult, he had very few romantic involvements. He had his father's example to strive for and was still searching for his one true love. Of course he had a couple of boyfriends in college and a few hot experiences. But they all seemed minor after they'd ended. Jack was trying to find _the one_.

When he started to work at the firm, things got worse. He was lacking time for dating and every man that seemed to have a fair chance was more interested in his money than anything else. So, he'd given up the search.

"_Good things come to those who wait!"_ Dean Thomas had told him on his wedding day, while holding hands with his husband, who had become on that day William Thomas. It all seemed quite unfair at the time. After all, Dean had met William in high school! It seemed hypocritical of Dean.

"_If you try so hard to find him, he will never come to you. Love comes to those who believe it! You do not believe yet Jacky!"_ William said smiling. And to him, Jack had listened. William was closer to him in personality and was far wiser. So, he took his friend's advice.

He was 27 at the time and he decided that very day that he was going to wait for his one true love. The waiting would have been easier, if it wasn't for the fact that he was one of the most desirable bachelors in New York. Men of all ages tried to seduce, impress or romance him. But no one made him look twice.

And yet none of that seemed to matter to the man who had easily stolen his heart. Ennis hadn't known who he was when they met. He didn't think about how rich he was the first time they had sex. Ennis had absolutely no idea that he was a «_desirable bachelor»_ the day he had decided to leave him alone in that hotel room in Madrid. He didn't mind that Jack would, one day, be his boss when he had accepted to take him on their first date. And surely, he wasn't thinking about kids the last time they made love. Ennis didn't even think that he was gay before they'd met.

Actually, Jack suspected that Ennis was the one precisely _because_ of that. He was one of the few who didn't tiptoe around Jack. He liked Jack for who he was and nothing else.

Ennis had turned out to be the perfect partner in so many ways, and yet Jack wasn't sure if he was _the one_. But he wanted it to be so, badly! But most of all, Jack was aware of how new their relationship was and how uncertain Ennis still was about some aspects of their lives. This was clearly not the time to bring up kids. His father's constant nagging only reminded him of how new his relationship with Ennis was. And that only made him more suspicious of his father's disapproval of Ennis.

"We have a lot of work ahead of us. I hope you came ready to work and learn." Enrique said as he opened the door to his huge office.

_Enrique Twist_, was written in gold letters on the door. Jack couldn't help but shiver with the thought that soon his name would replace his father's. Too soon, he thought.

The place had been closed for almost a month, but thanks to the cleaning team they had obtained the previous Friday, it was now extremely clean and fresh. Jack observed his father moving next to the huge black aquarium, which had been specially built into the modern cupboard. His father was a fish-collector. His collection boasted rare exotic fish, which, in Jack's opinion, cost far too much for the amount of time they survived out of the ocean. Personally, Jack couldn't find any interest in the stupid fish, but with the passing years he had learned not to disturb his father's precious award-winning pets. What he really liked in his dad's office was the amazing view and the fact that, with all the light the room had, it was possible to keep a few different types of plants. It gave the office a different feeling from all the others.

"Don't treat me like a kid, dad. I know perfectly well what we're going to do here." Jack snapped.

Lately he was feeling irritated with his father, mostly because Enrique was back to treating him like a kid. To that end, Enrique seemed to find all of Jack's retorts amusing, even the ones that were supposed to be offensive.

It was all explained in two words: Mood swings.

Jack knew it was all a way for Enrique to feel in control, but he couldn't keep that in mind for long, no matter how many times he kept reading the brochure about impotency and terminal diseases. At least they were making progress with the appointments with Dr. Whistle, especially with Enrique's depression. The rest was still a mess.

"And you're going to show me that, starting today." Enrique had his back to his son and was calmly tapping the glass of the aquarium with his forefinger. It was his odd way of greeting his little swimming friends.

"So what do you have in mind?" Jack asked sitting on the brown leather sofa. He was trying hard not to look at the strange bust of his grandfather sitting on the top shelf. It used to be in their living room at home many years ago. Jack could still remember how his father would tell him that the bust's eyes were on him. He couldn't help but to feel that his father was right.

"Nothing much, after all, this is your first day. We're going to work with Elizabeth this morning and then after lunch we have an initial meeting with our accountant."

"Yaniv Geldschrank? Your Jewish friend? I almost forgot all about him." Jack smiled at his memory of the man. When he was young, the strange man with the long beard used to give him sweets while he waited for Jack's father in their living room. Jack knew from his father that the man was still very conservative when it came to his Jewish roots, but his family was quite rich and Enrique seemed to trust the man completely

"Yes, Yaniv stopped passing by the house a few years ago. We now meet in a fancy restaurant in Bedford-Stuyvesant every month. I guess times change."

There was a soft knock on the door and Enrique finally moved away from his aquarium to inform the person on the other side that it was acceptable to enter.

"Good morning. How have you been Enrique?" Elizabeth entered the room with a small smile. She went and sat next to Jack on the sofa.

"Alright, I guess. I'm so sorry I missed Sophie's party. I wasn't feeling so well that night."

"Jack told me and we received your ridiculously extravagant gift, Enrique. You shouldn't have! The Rolls-Royce of prams, it said on the box. They weren't lying! Monique told me that Angelina and Brad's baby have the same one. I can only imagine how much it cost."

"Is not as if I can't afford it. And babies are priceless blessings." Enrique's eyes rested on Jack and the young lawyer moved uncomfortably on his seat.

"But do tell me Elizabeth, how is it that you're going to help me today?" Jack asked, avoiding his father's gaze.

"Enrique? You didn't tell him? I thought by now he would have thousands of ideas. He was supposed to work on that during the weekend."

"Believe me, I almost didn't see him all weekend. One would think he's joined at the hip with that Del Mar guy."

"But that was only on Sunday! I even helped a little with the planning."

"I should have known. But it was the same thing on Saturday."

"Come on, they're adults, Enrique."

"I'm still here, you know?" Jack said, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "Can we focus on work now?"

"Sorry Jack. We're just two old friends that love you too much not to interfere in your life." She said sweetly.

"Are you going to tell me what we are doing today or not?"

"Yes, but relax, kid. You look all stressed out." Elizabeth said resting her hand on his shoulder.

"You two took the day to kill me. Ok. That's nice of you. Now let's hear what you have to say."

"Basically, you're going to organize the Magnet Spring Party with me."

"What?" Jack exclaimed in surprise.

"See? I wanted to tell you in the gentlest way possible, but you were in one of your moods." She exchanged looks with Enrique, who had remained silent with a smile on his lips. "Usually I would help Enrique and his assistant planning it, but this year, it's up to you and me, kid."

"You'll have to supervise every single decision, just like I used to do over the years. It's probably not the most interesting task ever, but it's an important one never the less." Enrique voice was pure authority.

"I understand. Although I'm just not sure I'm good with that." Jack said honestly.

"Don't worry, son. Elizabeth is going to help you with the entire process. It's well-known she's good at this. Eventually, in the future, you'll have to choose your own personal assistant to help with this matter. I thought you should experience it first, so that you can have a good idea of what kind of help you need after."

"I see…"

It was going to be a long day, Jack thought.

* * *

Choosing between white china plates or pink Italian plates wasn't the most exciting thing to do, but Elizabeth helped him with her great amount of experience and some important decision were made that morning. He was surprised with how much money the firm spent on the party. It was something he had never really thought about. But the shock of his life was the guest list, which by Elizabeth's experience, grew bigger and bigger every year.

His father stayed working on the computer and giving a hand form time to time. He would leave the office for a couple of minutes, only to return with some more information from his personal assistant. So, three hours later they were finishing the first stage of the task. Still, Jack's mind was somewhere else. Somewhere on the one floor down.

"Well, we've covered the major decisions. I'll need nothing further from you today." Elizabeth said, closing her portfolio. "Anything you want, just call me, kid. But be aware that one of my clients is promoting a new film. I'll be disappearing to Hollywood all week."

"All right. Thanks Beth. It was very nice of you." Jack said smiling.

"You're welcome. Bye Enrique. Don't forget about our meeting on Wednesday." The female lawyer said, leaving Enrique's office.

"Dad, since we don't have much more to do this morning. I'm thinking about…" Jack was interrupted by his father.

"Yes, yes. You can go play _«real lawyers»_ now" His father amusedly said. "I understand your frustration, but this is necessary son. You'll be grateful in the end. And you have to keep in mind that you're not just some ordinary lawyer."

"Of course not! I'm the son of the boss." Jack said sarcastically. "Gimme a break father." He said, leaving the office.

"I thought I _was_ doing that." Enrique whispered to the empty room.

But Jack didn't hear him. He was on the other side of the door sighing out loud. And when he was sure nobody could see him, he lay against the door and closed his eyes.

"God it's going to be a very, very long day." He murmured to himself.

His father's comments were getting under his skin. He knew it was almost childish of him, but he needed to be away from his father's bossy attitude. And he knew just where to go to forget all about that. Moving away from the door Jack walk in the direction of the elevators. He was a man on a mission!

He hadn't just left his father's office because of the tension. He had been tormented all day by a ghost of an idea. A suspicion that he couldn't keep away from his thoughts. And he needed to share it with Ennis.

He waved at Mrs. Campbell and walked right in. Ennis was concentrating on some papers he had lying on his desk. There was music in the room and that surprised Jack. It was clearly classical music. But Ennis never worked with music before. He closed the door and Ennis didn't even blink, still focused on his work. Jack moved silently to the CD player. By the time he reached the equipment, he had identified the music. It was Vivaldi. Uncle Daniel used to put the Four Seasons on when he and Jack played chess in the club, so he knew the concert by heart.

"Didn't know you were a Vivaldi fan. But then, only yesterday I found out you were an Eddie Murphy fan." Ennis abruptly looked up from the desk, surprised with the voice of someone else in the room.

"You tryin' to kill me?" Ennis asked, leaning against the chair with one hand covering his eyes. Jack thought he looked tired.

"Sorry, honey. You're so focus that I couldn't resist." Jack smiled and moved to lock the door. "And what's with the music?"

"Veronica was so grateful for some advice that I gave her about her boyfriend that she made me a CD with her favorite classical music. She said it would relax me." Ennis breathed out loudly. "It's obviously not working. But then maybe it's because Madelyn Webber used her last press conference to play the role of the victim of a conspiracy. Mr. Dungeon was not pleased and I'm furious."

"Oh honey, relax a little. You're going to come out on top of this, you'll see." Jack said sitting on his boyfriend's lap. His hands moved to rest on Ennis's hair and neck.

"And what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at little Twist's camp, working hard to be a good boss in training?" The question coming from anyone else and with a more serious tone would have made Jack furious. But he knew Ennis was only teasing. It was his way of dealing with the issue. He was probably uncomfortable with the idea too.

"I snuck out." Jack said, looking intently at Ennis's mouth.

Seated on Ennis's lap, Jack was on the same level as Ennis's head. It made things easier for him. He let his nose touch on Ennis's lips. A simple touch, that felt oddly arousing for both of them. Jack ghosted his lips on Ennis's cheek, letting his breath caress Ennis's ear. Ennis moved closer and Jack caressed Ennis's lips with his own, teasing at the sound of the music.

The blond lawyer quickly seemed to have had enough with the teasing and grabbing Jack's neck, forcing their lips into a gentle kiss. Jack smiled and Ennis took the opportunity to move his tongue inside of his boyfriend's mouth. Jack was more than pleased.

Soon he let his right hand move down to Ennis's chest. The Hugo Boss shirt was doing a bad job in hiding Ennis's pectorals. Jack found himself thinking that Ennis had gained a bit of more muscle lately, probably from jogging and using his static bicycle. He knew that Ennis liked to exercise when he was stressed out. He even did it while watching TV or reading files.

His thoughts were interrupted by a little moan from Ennis. Jack let his right hand move to the zip of Ennis's trousers, but his hand was caught shortly after it had reached his destination. Jack sighed in frustration. He had been so close!

"Jack, try to remember our rules. We don't kiss in front of your father and we don't have sex at the office." The tone was firm and Jack decided not to push it.

"At least, for now." Jack murmured loud enough for Ennis to hear and gave a chaste kiss in Ennis's lips, moving to sit on the next chair. "You're no fun, Del Mar." Jack pouted and made himself comfortable.

"Imagine if your father entered through that door? Besides, it's not very professional of us. You're the future boss, Jack. You need to set an example."

"You sound like my father." Jack still wasn't convinced, but he decided to let this argument end here. He _would_ have sex with Ennis at the office sooner or later. Part of the fun of dating Ennis was corrupting his honest, beautiful blond head. And he hadn't yet failed to do it.

"And I locked the door when I entered."

Ennis answer was a deadly look and Jack understood that his boyfriend had figured out that he had planned the little seduction. He had no intention of denying it, so he stayed silent, watching Ennis trying hard not to change his mind. Finally he had pity on his boyfriend and changed the topic.

"Actually I had another reason to come here. A less pleasurable one." Jack took the moment to lick his lips and Ennis made an abrupt movement to the other side of the room, walking in the direction of the CD player. Jack tried not to laugh but moved the chair so that he was still looking at Ennis.

"Go on, I'm listening." Ennis turned off the music and organized his small collection of CDs. He glanced at Jack and raised his eyebrows. Jack thought he was beginning to look like David of Miguel Angelo. The curly long hair was Jack's personal fascination. He tried harder to concentrate.

"It's related to the Madelyn Webber's case. I've been thinking about Saturday's episode and there's something that doesn't make sense. How did she have all that information about Mr. Dungeon's clients?"

"I'd thought about it too. I seriously don't think Venderlei would have found out that piece of information so easily. And even with all her contacts, she isn't in the jewelry business."

"You know what that means." Jack said seriously. "Someone is giving them that information. I thought at first it must be one of Mr. Dungeon's employees. But then I realized it would have been much easier to be someone from the firm."

"Maybe you're jumping to conclusions. A lot of Mr. Dungeon's employees must have access to that information. Why would it have been someone from our firm?"

"Phone numbers from the clients? Information about the ship with the gem cargo? Come on Ennis, that's not common knowledge."

"Yes, the ship is what is intriguing me. Maybe I should call Mr. Dungeon and ask him who in the company had that information."

"Better yet, I'll call him. We don't want him to get suspicious about a leak of information in the firm. The man adores me and I intend to use that."

"I hope you're wrong. This may end up being my fault." Ennis said nervously.

"Don't worry, honey. I'm not going to leave you alone in the middle of this."

"What would I be without you, baby?" Ennis said kneeling next to Jack's chair. The seduction episode was forgotten and hopefully forgiven, Jack thought.

"Probably being canonized by the pope."

Ennis shook his head and moved to sit in his chair. There was no point in arguing with Jack when he was having one of these days. He had an impossible _one track mind_.

* * *

The scream came out of nowhere. So unexpected it had been that Ennis woke up with the sound of it. His eyes tried to adjust to the darkness of the bedroom.

The air around him was heavy and hot. Ennis moved his hand through his hair, feeling it sweaty and pasted against his skin.

Slowly he moved his legs, to sit up on the bed, surprised by the high rhythm of his breathing. Strange pictures came to his mind, like flashes from an old movie you saw two or three months ago.

That was when he realized. _He_ had been the one screaming.

He moved his head, looking at the alarm clock. It was 6 am. Too soon to start the day, too late to go black to sleep. Stripping his shirt, Ennis decided to occupy the time with a long shower.

He couldn't remember the last time he had a nightmare. He couldn't remember the last time he had the luxury of sleeping eight hours every day. It was probably the result of accumulated stress, coming out all at once now.

The hot jet of water started to fall on his shoulders and Ennis tried not to moan in delight. The tensed muscles started to relax, in the simplest combination of pain and pleasure, like the pleasure of his finger rubbing against his scalp and the falling of almost painfully hot water all over his body.

When he stepped outside of the shower, he grabbed for a towel and was hit with a vision from his nightmare. It was almost like the key to a locked door. It all appeared perfectly clear in his mind. He could now remember why he had screamed.

The images became clearer, forming a picture of the ranch in front of him. The hot flames and the disturbing screams of the men in the scenario. It had been a small show of a recent personal fear and it was still difficult to see it replaying in his head. The end of the ranch he loved and all the good people who worked and lived there. Especially David. The man had surprised him with a reality he didn't know still existed. He was the remaining root of Ennis's' the bond between the present and the past, remembering Ennis, and that he still belonged to Texas. Someone he didn't know he had wanted in his life, but had easily found a place in his heart. He was sure he wanted to know David better. Ennis wanted to be a good friend from now on, just as the other man had silently been for him through the years. And the desire was so strong, he was having nightmares about it.

"You are so messed up, Del Mar!" He said to the empty bathroom.

He moved closely to the mirror, admiring the long curls in his head. He was starting to look like a teenage pop star. The only reason he hadn't cut it yet was because of Jack's constant flattery about it. He knew he shouldn't, but he couldn't seem to be able to deny anything to Jack. His boyfriend was spoiled and constantly demanding, but Ennis liked the fire in his spirit. It only made him give more than he had ever given in any of his previous relationships. Jack had demanded his love from him, showing him who he truly was and perhaps that was why in two months – three and a half since they had met – he and Jack had become so close.

Near the door, Neve started to meow, rubbing against his naked legs. After petting him, Ennis returned to his thoughts.

Ennis had thought about it a thousand times and he was now convinced that it wasn't only because Jack was a man that the feelings were different. It was because Jack was Jack. The funny, smart and good looking lawyer, who seemed to understand him so well. Jack was constantly reaching for his best qualities and helping him overcome his worst faults. He was fascinated with Ennis's roots and Ennis's story of life. And the charm worked both ways.

Lately he had been seriously worried about Jack, even more so than usual. His brunette boyfriend seemed sad and easily irritated. He could, with no trouble, understand why. Enrique was forcing Jack to take control of the management and the news was all over the firm. The older lawyers were sad and new ones excited, but not one of them knew the reasons behind the sudden decision and there lay the problem for Jack. Ennis's boyfriend was being forced to watch his father's last days in the firm and already predicting the time when his mentor will no longer be by his side. It was clearly emotionally draining to Jack. Ennis had helped him during the week, supporting him in every way and on the weekend, he took his boyfriend on a flight around the city in their rented helicopter. It had helped, but last night Jack still looked depressed.

Ennis's thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. It was Monday and still early for anyone else, so it should be his friend Veronica returning from the night shift. Ennis put on his bathrobe and wondered if Veronica was having another tantrum. He opened the door and moved away to the kitchen remembering to feed the impatient Neve, waiting for Veronica to speak.

"Hi, Ennis! Were you sleeping? I only knocked because I didn't want to wake you up." She sounded concerned but calm and Ennis relaxed. There would be no scene today.

"No, I was already awake. I had a nightmare about something stupid."

"What? Still worried about Jack?" She said softly closing the door.

"Yes, but this was about something else." Ennis turned and looked Veronica in the eyes. "It was about the ranch…"

She didn't say anything but pointed Ennis to his room and turned the coffee machine on. It was a sign that a long conversation was about to begin as soon as Ennis got dressed. When Ennis returned, dressed in his tailored suit, Veronica was already serving a complete breakfast. Neve was sleeping on the floor, comforted by the sound of the two humans he loved.

"Do you want to talk about it?" She asked sitting at the table.

"Actually, no. I've been thinking about it since I wake up. Let's talk about everything else. I promise we'll talk about it later."

"If you think that's better." She said offering him some coffee.

"Yeah, I do." Ennis said looking at his plate.

"I keep forgetting you have a maid. Everything is so clean and you always have your fridge full." She was quite comfortable in Ennis's kitchen. The blond lawyer seemed to feel more relaxed in his apartment and usually Veronica was the one visiting. They would only meet at Veronica's place for special occasion, dinners or a serious crisis.

"Miss May does most of the grocery shopping. I have to admit that without her I would probably starve to death."

"I used to have one when I lived with my parents." Her tone was sad and Ennis remembered their previous conversations.

Veronica lost her mother in a tragic incident. One day, when her father was at the hospital working the night shift – he was a surgeon in a distant state – their house had been robbed while Veronica and her mother were asleep. Her mother heard the robbers and when she was about to call the police, she was shot. The robbers ran away but Veronica woke up to find her mother dead in the living room. She was 20 years old, studying to be a nurse, and it had been the trauma of her life. Her father remarried a few years ago, but Veronica never accepted her new stepmother. Because of this, she and her father had grown distant ever since. Ennis could see that there was a small part of her that blamed her father for her mother's death. His constant absence in her life was usually remembered by Veronica in their conversations with nasty remarks.

"But now I prefer to have my privacy. It works for you because you barely stay at home and you send her away anytime Jack's _visiting_."

"She's family to my secretary! I don't want her to know anything about my life. She seems to be an agreeable woman, but I fear she already knows too much by messing around my garbage."

"You sound like you suspect her of something." Veronica said intrigued.

"Remember about the leak of information? I guess I'm just getting paranoid."

"Jack is the paranoid one. If I remember correctly, you thought it _wasn't_ someone from the firm. Do you have any more news about that?"

"Not really. Mr. Dungeon has been in Germany all week and Jack hasn't been able to reach him. He went on a very important trip to close a deal. So important, he had decided to be unreachable during the whole process of negotiations. Very clever of him. Especially, in the middle of the lawsuit against Madelyn Webber."

"So, why am _I_ not a suspect? Don't I have the profile of a spy?" She batted her eyelashes and Ennis laughed.

"Don't be silly. I'm talking about very confidential information. Most of them haven't even been in this apartment. You could never be the spy."

"I'm disappointed." Veronica said outraged. Ennis only laughed and then his cell phone rang. It was his professional number, so Ennis was surprised to see it rang at such hours. His clients wouldn't usually call at 7 am. He stood up and grabbed the phone from the sofa in the living room where it had been thrown last night.

"Del Mar." He said in a business tone.

"Mr. Del Mar, it's me, Mrs. Campbell."

"Mrs. Campbell? Is there anything wrong with the Dungeon's case?" He asked worriedly.

"No, Mr. Del Mar. But I had a call from a man who demanded your presence this instant."

"A man?"

"He didn't say who he was. Actually I only talked with his secretary. She said he didn't want anyone to know that you're going to work for him."

"So, this man is going to meet with me this morning?"

"She said he would be here any minute."

"Any possibility of this being a joke?"

"She was very precise on the demands of this meeting. I have another three secretaries working on the catering, the security and the papers needed. I informed Mr. Twist and he told me it was often for these things to happen, so I decided to call you."

"Often, he said? Perhaps it is a movie star or a politician involved in a scandal we don't know yet. I'll be there in a minute." Ennis was still looking at the phone after the conversation was over.

"So what's up?" Veronica asked from her seat.

"I'm becoming Elizabeth Noris." Ennis said after grabbing his jacket and his car keys.

"Enjoy the rest of the breakfast. I'll tell you everything tonight. Or tomorrow morning. I'm not sure!" Ennis said, leaving the house.

"Sometimes I wish I had a busy life like that. Don't you, sweetie?" Veronica asked the sleeping cat. But all Neve did was snore a little more.

* * *

**Author: **_I needed to introduce Ennis's new client. Who is going to give him a few adventures in the future! So that was my idea when I started writing, the problem was that first I needed to write about Jack and Enrique, who were finally back to the firm. When I finished the first sequence, it was so long that I change my mind about the new client. But don't worry my dear readers. We will meet him soon, just not the way I first thought. Another strange thing was the resumed past love life of Jack Twist!? I have no idea where that came from, but this all chapter is full with little past surprises about well known characters. Did any of you noticed? _

_**On the next chapter:**__ Who exactly is Ennis's new client? And about Jack's plan? Ennis and Jack are once again forced to work together, this time with the sudden help of Enrique Twist! And whose birthday is coming soon? The suspicion is still in the air..._


	28. Suspicion is in the air

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_**Attention!**__** Attention!**__** Attention!**__** Attention!**__** Attention!**__** Attention!**__** Attention!**__** Attention!**_

_Dear readers I have big news! First of all I want to thank for your questions that had help me develop this story. Your reviews are precious! I had more than 13000 hits and 100 reviews! To thank you all,__**I'm reposting most of the old chapters with new plot and new scenes.**__ This week (**already posted!**) will have the first __**5**__ chapters! Please read and review!_

_**Attention!**__** Attention!**__** Attention!**__** Attention!**__** Attention!**__** Attention!**__** Attention!**__** Attention!**__  
_

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_**Author's Note: **__Thank you so very much for my friend _Kathy (**kittie8571**_) who is the Beta of this story! _

_Thank you everybody for the reviews! Especially to __**coldprin**__**, Jada 91**__**, Debra, **__**gr lewis, mia**__ and __**WCUGirl. **_

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**Chapter Twenty Eight****: Suspicion is in the air**

Once again, Jack left his father's office in the direction of the elevators. He had worked on the revision of the lawyer's contracts for almost four hours. He told himself that he deserved this little break. Actually it wasn't really a break. He was going to work with Ennis on the Dungeon's case, as had been the norm during the last week. His father didn't complain much, since Mr. Dungeon was one of their oldest clients.

When he left the elevator, Jack spotted Frederic on the other side of the large corridor of offices. The platinum blond was talking with his secretary near his office. Frederic was one of the few lawyers who had a selected a man for his secretary. It had been the reason for a few jokes in the beginning, but after a while everybody accepted it. Some lawyers even followed his choice. Frederic was like that, he just loved to be different and change the way everybody else thought. The problem was when he wasn't able to change other people opinions. It easily could become an obsession for him. And unfortunately, the most well-known of Frederic's obsessions was Jack Twist.

"Jack, how good to see you." He said with a big smile. Some other lawyers turned to look at both of them.

"Hi, Frederic." Jack said coolly.

"Is it true what they say? Are you going to assume the management of the firm?" He couldn't have been more direct about it.

"Well, I would have to start working on that someday. Better to start now than later."

"I see." The blond lawyer smiled again. "You know, if you need me to help, don't hesitate. If I remember well, my father used to be almost vice-president, when Mr. Twist started working as the boss. It's almost tradition."

"Tradition is what stops us from progressing." Jack said with a matching smile. "I'll think about it. See you later."

"Anytime you want, Jack." There was seduction in his tone and Jack knew it, but he could easily ignore it. Frederic wasn't going to give up any time soon and Jack knew perfectly well why.

The Dawsons were one of the first families of lawyers to start working at the Magnet firm. When Frederic's father became a lawyer, Enrique was beginning his career too. The two men became good friends and even worked together on a few cases.

Enrique thought highly of their family and had always insisted on Jack being friends with Frederic when they were younger. When it became common knowledge that both Jack and Frederic were gay, most of Magnet's employees were convinced that sooner or later, the two attorneys would end up together.

The problem was, Jack had a profound dislike for the blond lawyer and not even Enrique's pleadings could convince him to go on a date with Frederic. But after Ennis had become a part of Jack's life, Frederic had never really shown any interest in the younger Twist. Actually, with the exception of the constant flirting, Jack was convinced that the whole matchmaking business was the work of their parents, with no real interest from Frederic.

Frederic, however, seemed a whole different person now and Jack had to wonder if Frederic's father were also interested in the match. In moments like these, he hated to be his father's son. The money always brought him more pain than pleasure.

He walked a little more until he was in front of Ennis's office door. Mrs. Campbell was nowhere to be seen, so Jack knocked on the door and entered.

Ennis was on the phone with someone so Jack remained silent and sat on the small black sofa. The small table in front of him was full with papers and next to them was a shot glass. Ennis never drank in the morning, so Jack concluded that he must have had a visit from a client. By the look of the rest of the room, it was an important one. There were flowers on the shelf and someone had positioned a catering table near the fireplace.

"Sorry, baby. Important call." Ennis bent down and kissed him quickly. Jack could see he was excited.

"What happened here? New client?"

"Exactly. I was shocked when I arrived here this morning. Do you know Arnold Hoz?"

"The famous basketball player? You're working for him?"

"He came this morning demanding an immediate meeting with me. His kid was found in possession of drugs. His previous attorney failed miserably to avoid a scandal and he was in need of a new lawyer. It seems someone mentioned my name for the job. I spent the rest of the morning working with his personal assistant."

"God! Arnold Hoz as your exclusive client. I can imagine the numbers on that contract."

"Yeah, it's a new gold mine for the firm. But I don't know how long I'm going to last as his lawyer. He's in constant trouble. An enormous list of ex-wives, more than a few visits to the local authorities every month, kids that never do anything right, lawsuits upon lawsuits, merchandising contracts. The list goes on and on. It took me all morning to catch up with the present financial obligations of the man."

"Sounds like fun to me. When I worked with Elizabeth, I didn't have the chance to have exclusive clients and now that I'm going to work on the management, it doesn't seem like the chance is going to appear any more often."

"We will always share Mr. Santos and, in my opinion, when you get used to the position, you'll have some free time to take a few cases and even some exclusive clients."

"That's my hope too. I can't give up on being a lawyer, not even to take my father's place. Although I do try the best I can, he would have to be me to understand that."

"I think you're wrong. He understands you well, he just thinks this is the best for you."

"He's acting like a demanding, spoiled child. I have to give him everything he wants when he wants." Jack said annoyed.

"He's your father, baby." Ennis smiled in return.

"I'm going to pretend I didn't catch that double innuendo." Jack said, glaring at Ennis. "And since you're in such agreement with my father, you'll be happy to know that his birthday is on Wednesday and there's going to be a little party at our house to which you will attend."

"Did he invite me?" Ennis asked ironically.

"Don't worry. He was informed that I was going to attend in the company of my sexy date."

"I don't know, Jack…" Ennis said honestly, sitting near Jack on the sofa. "That may not end up well."

"He's learning to accept you. This is just another step. I'm sure you're going to enjoy yourself."

"Do you _really_ want me to come? Not just to aggravate your father, but to be by your side. Do you honestly want that?" Ennis looked Jack in the eyes.

"Yes. There's going to be some of my family friends there. I wanted them to see us together. You know…" Jack softly stroked Ennis's arm.

"I'll go, don't worry." Ennis hand caressed Jack's cheek for a few seconds, but then Ennis seemed to wake up from his trance. "But do tell me, did you manage to contact Mr. Dungeon?"

"Yes, I almost forgot. I do have news." Jack sighed. "He confirmed our suspicions. The information Madelyn Webber found out was only available to Mr. Dungeon and his son. They have security cameras all over the building, and no one else entered Mr. Dungeon's office. His secretary is also his wife's sister, close family that would never have any interest in damaging the business."

"So, whoever it was, was it someone from our firm?" Ennis asked raising his eyebrows. "There are a large number of people who could have entered my office. The papers were here for almost two days. I locked the door, but someone could have asked the security man to open it, or entered with the cleaning people. As far as we know, it could have even _been_ one of the cleaning ladies!"

"It's not a dead end, honey. We can still found out who's spying on us. But honestly, I think we need my father's help on this one. I have a plan and I think he can help us."

"I'm still collecting evidence regarding Madelyn's character and thanks to Mary, I have a lot. But I'm afraid it's going to be our word against theirs. If you think we can use this against them, then I'll do anything."

"What about the papers to the quality of the jewelry?"

"Once again, it will be ours against theirs. But the independent lab will support our results, I'm sure. Still, the jury will be too confused to make a clear decision. I don't want her to get away with a few hours of community service. She stole the jewelry, of that I'm sure."

"Then it's settled. I'll talk to my father and we'll have dinner tonight about it."

"Dinner, baby?" Ennis asked, surprised. "I know what you want, but I'm not sure all these meetings are going to help your father get along with me."

"Trust me on this one, honey. My father likes and respects you as a lawyer. He just needs a little help seeing that you're just as good at everything else in your life."

Ennis looked at his boyfriend surprised. He clearly had no words after such a statement.

* * *

Sometimes things happen in a man's life that make him look at his own existence and wonder how things turned out the way they did. The same thing was happening to Ennis Del Mar the night he left his house to have dinner with Enrique and Jack at their house. Ennis couldn't remember how exactly he ended up being the boyfriend of one of the richest heirs in New York. 

He could remember how he had fallen in love with his handsome colleague at the firm, but tonight he didn't think he was going to have dinner with _him_. Actually, Ennis was convinced that he probably couldn't find him between the walls of the Twist mansion. Felt like tonight he was going to meet someone else.

Lately he had heard the constant gossip of the Magnet employees. People were starting to talk about how advantageous it was to date the boss's son. And even though Ennis ignored them, the reality was there. He was indeed dating the boss's son and there were other complications along with that. He had all eyes on him, everybody expecting him to be favored. And this was only the beginning.

Ennis looked at the large door in front of him. He was working up the courage to knock on it. It wasn't easy. Enrique would be on the other side, probably displeased with the idea of spending his dinner in the company of Ennis Del Mar. Ennis couldn't blame him for that. In some ironic way, they were together in their misery thanks to Jack. Ennis's boyfriend had set them up, deciding on a casual dinner at the Twist house.

When Ennis had agreed to the dinner with Enrique, he'd never thought that it would take place at Enrique's home. But the older man had insisted so much that Jack had conceded. And now the blonde lawyer couldn't help but feel like a sheep entering the wolf's den.

Taking a deep breath, Ennis knocked on the door. He wasn't going to stay the rest of the night shaking like a leaf, afraid of the bogeyman named Enrique. After all, he was a man, not a mouse.

A few seconds later, a brunette man Ennis had never seen before appeared in front of him. He wasn't dressed with the uniform of the staff and Ennis wondered if he was some unknown member of the Twist family.

"How can I help you, sir?" The man asked. He had a tone of authority and a posture that revealed good upbringing and manners. Ennis observed him with curiosity. His hair was as white as the driven snow and his eyes were green, not blue like Jack and Enrique had. Perhaps he was a distant relative. He was shorter than the two Twists and contrary to Enrique, age had left him a few pounds heavier than it should have.

"Sir?"

Ennis realized he had been staring. Feeling uncomfortable with the situation, he looked down at the floor and spoke.

"I apologize. My name is Ennis Del Mar. I'm supposed to have dinner with Mr. Twist and Jack."

"Of course. I believe young master Jack mentioned it to me. But since I've only returned yesterday, Mr. Del Mar, please forgive me."

Ennis was dumbfounded. The man in front of him was the butler of the Twist family. Yes, Jack and Enrique seemed to have a butler.

Ennis took another moment to find his words, while his mind kept telling him that he should have expected it. But he surely didn't.

"But, of course. I'm sorry for my absent mindedness. I'm afraid I'm not having one of my better days."

"Quite acceptable. Young master Jack always returns home extremely tired as well."

Ennis followed the man, intrigued with the familiar way he spoke about Jack. There was something about the tender way he used his words that made Ennis think of someone else. Matilda, Jack's maid, whom Ennis hadn't seen much of recently.

"I see you've met Mr. Scott."

Ennis looked toward the direction of the familiar voice, only to find Jack smiling, at the end of the corridor. He was wearing jeans and a shirt. Ennis felt confined in his Hugo Boss suit, but he was a guest and etiquette demanded it. He knew he was getting obsessed with these little things. He was terrified by the thought of looking like a fool next to Jack, especially in front of Enrique.

"Hi." Ennis said shyly. He didn't know how to act in front of Mr. Scott, the butler.

"Edward, this is Ennis Del Mar, my boyfriend." Jack said leaning against Ennis and holding his arm. Ennis was once again shocked with the ease Jack had said it, but he didn't let his feelings show.

"I knew I'd heard the name before." Mr. Scott said with a much more relaxed posture. Suddenly Ennis didn't feel like a guest anymore. "I'm sorry, Mr. Del Mar, I didn't know it was you. Otherwise I would have introduced myself on the spot. I'm Edward Scott, butler of the house." The older man offered him his hand.

"It's an immense pleasure." Ennis said feeling a little lost.

"I'm sorry, Edward. I've never mentioned you as Mr. Scott to Ennis, he clearly isn't recognizing you." Jack said to Mr. Scott and then looked at Ennis. "Ennis, remember, I've told you about Matilda's husband, Edward…?"

"Matilda, your Mexican maid?" Ennis asked surprised.

"Who else could it be?" Jack said amused.

"I'm sorry, it's just I've never pictured you as…"

"…not Mexican?" Mr. Scott asked good-naturedly. "That's quite acceptable, sir. And if you're curious, I must tell you that we met while we were working for master Enrique. I'm definitely _not_ Mexican."

"I think you're right. Jack also never mentioned you worked as the butler, so I had pictured you differently."

"Let me guess. I was supposed to be the gardener?" He laughed and Ennis felt much more comfortable. "Young master Jack told me you're Texan. I'm disappointed for the missing hat, sir. So you see, sir, we've both been mistaken."

"You're a very kind man, Mr. Scott."

"Nonsense. Let's not make master Enrique wait." Mr. Scott ordered them to follow him.

"Do you know Ennis? Edward had been visiting his parents in England for a week. He returned just yesterday from London."

"So you're English. Did you enjoy your stay in London?"

"Yes, sir. Immensely. Unfortunately, my dear Matilda hates to fly. I usually have to go alone. Sometimes my parents adventure themselves to come visit me. But they're far too old for such adventures anymore, I'm afraid."

"Were they in good heath?" Ennis asked carefully.

"But surely yes. Longevity runs in my family. My grandfather lived for more than one hundred years. And so it had been in almost all generations of my family. We're one of the biggest families in London, thanks to that."

"It must be good to have such a big family. I have none left anymore." Ennis said sadly and Edward and Jack shared worried looks.

"Speaking of family, master Jack, do you have any idea who is preparing the dinner tonight?"

"I have no idea, Edward. But do tell me."

"My love, Matilda. I think she didn't know Ennis was the guest, but since it's rare that young master Jack eats at home, she offered to make the meal. What a pleasure she will have now to know that you are the guest, Mr. Del Mar."

"I must see her personally and offer her my gratitude at the end of the evening."

"Yes, she would be most pleased. But do not expect her to be long in the kitchen, I'm afraid her leg is hurting again. It is too cold in the kitchen for her to stay long."

"Then let's visit her immediately instead." Ennis said and Jack nodded.

"But, again Edward? It was the same thing last week. You must help me convince her to go to the doctor." Jack was clearly worried.

"And you think I haven't done that before, young master Jack? She fears them more than death itself. And the whole accident with her leg back in Mexico didn't help much, sir."

Ennis remained silent, remembering the only time he had actually met Matilda. He had noticed back then that her right leg was shorter than her left one, just like Jack had told him it was when they had talked about her before.

She'd seemed a good hearted woman, who loved Jack very much and would protect him like a mother. She pictured her next to Mr. Scott and smiled.

They were definitely an odd couple, but so were all the good ones, in Ennis's opinion. He was left wondering if he and Jack were an odd couple. And after a few seconds, his inner voice answered for him.

_Yes, you definitely are._

* * *

When they finally arrived at the dining room, Enrique was already seated at the head of the table. There, in front of the enormous mirror hung on the wall, surrounded by impressive paintings and the occasional maid that would bring another tureen from the kitchen, he looked powerful. Like a king in his throne, Ennis thought. Perhaps he was the one feeling a little like a servant at the moment. This dinner had a lot more meaning for him than to Enrique Twist. 

"Welcome to our home, Del Mar." He looked at his watch. "You're late."

"Actually, Ennis and I made a little visit to Matilda in the kitchen and we forgot the time, Dad." Jack said while sitting at his father's right. Ennis sat in front of Jack, at Enrique's left.

"Even so, I'm sorry Mr. Twist."

"It's ok." Enrique waved at one of the maids and small, delicate hands made the food appeared inside of the beautiful white tureens. "By the way Del Mar, congratulations on your new client. Arnold Hoz never worked with us before and he's obviously doing it now thanks to you. I must confess that I was impressed."

"Thank you, Mr. Twist." Ennis looked at Jack and they shared a smile.

They ate their delicious soup and made some more small talk, until Jack couldn't wait any more. He wanted to share his plan with his father and his boyfriend. And he wanted it now.

"Well, since we're eating, I say we lose no more time and start getting to business." Jack said after eating a few bites of his steak.

"Son, I'll never understand how you manage it. Can we at least wait until dessert?"

"No, this is important, and I'm afraid it would take all night with details."

"Details?" Enrique asked curiously.

"Yes. Actually, Ennis doesn't even know about my plans, but let's start from the beginning." Jack took a sip of his water and continued. "You know about the case I've been helping Ennis with, the Mr. Dungeon's case? Lately we've found ourselves in a very complicated position."

"I'm listening." Enrique said interested.

"You see, Mr. Twist. Madelyn Webber threatened my client that she would have her revenge on his business soon. Of course, we didn't take her seriously, but perhaps we should have." Ennis shared a glance with Jack. "At the precise time of our meeting with them, Mr. Dungeon was forced to leave abruptly. Her revenge was already beginning."

"Some of Mr. Dungeon's clients backed out of some of his recent business dealings without any warning. Also, one of his ships was confiscated by the police, thanks to an anonymous tip. All in the same day." Jack added.

"We've managed to work quickly with the police but the clients were a completely different problem. They seemed to change their minds from day to night."

"Interesting." Enrique said and had another sip of his porto.

"But that was when we start having another suspicion. This information, about the boat especially, was difficult to get. Madelyn Webber is an actress, she couldn't know about these things. Steel, her lawyer, has a big mouth but we don't think he was able to do it." Jack said to his father, waiting for his opinion.

"I know Steel very well. He doesn't have connections for that. He has a good name, but his firm is decadent. A bunch of old names with no vision whatsoever. No, I agree with you two, he didn't do it for her."

"And so that left us with two other options. Either it had been an employee of Mr. Dungeon or it had been someone from the firm."

"So you want to find out and you have a plan." Enrique interrupted Ennis.

"No, Dad. He already knew it was someone from the firm."

"Oh, my god." Enrique whispered.

"You see Mr. Twist, Jack phoned Mr. Dungeon and asked him a couple of questions. That information was only accessible to someone who could enter his office. His secretary is family, they keep important papers in a safe and they even have cameras in his office! Mr. Dungeon takes his personal safety very seriously."

"So it _is_ someone from the firm. Is it possible that any of you, or a younger lawyer could have taken those papers home and inadvertently given away that information?"

"Those papers never left my office, sir. Someone took them and put them back. And in a small amount of time, I dare say. I like to keep my papers in the safe too. Especially papers related to the economy of my clients."

"Ok, Del Mar. What about the cleaning staff? Do any of them appear at an unusual hour? Perhaps before lunch?"

"I don't remember very well. Maybe I should ask Mrs. Campbell or someone else."

"No. We want no more people knowing about a leak of information on the firm. We have extremely important clients and usually no one is crazy enough to mess with such an important organization. This is someone incredibly stupid." Enrique said furious.

"The way I see it, we want this silent, quickly and clean." Jack said resting his fork next to the plate. "And there is where plan starts."

"I'm listening, son."

"My idea is that whoever did this is probably waiting for another chance to do it again."

"Do you think he or she is stupid enough to do it twice?" Ennis asked surprised.

"Think with me. Madelyn threatened Mr. Dungeon and you with this _"supposed contacts"_. It didn't work. She knows the idea is good but she probably didn't get access to the right documents. She's waiting for another chance."

"Ok, let's say you're right. How do we go about it?" Ennis asked curiously.

"I'm thinking about cameras. And not just any kind of cameras. Bugs, really, that no one would notice. So when the spy acted again, we'll catch him. Or her, for that matter."

"That might work." Ennis said smiling.

"I agree. But how do we do it? We need to call her attention with some kind of irresistible opportunity. Any ideas?" Enrique asked while dessert was placed in front of them.

"Well perhaps something that could be easily stolen." Jack offered.

"Stolen? Do you think she would do such thing?" Ennis asked after another spoonful of his dessert.

"Absolutely. That is what could make it completely irresistible. A two-for-one deal -- she could keep whatever she stole and she would scare us a bit more." Jack answered honestly.

"I agree, son. But that must be planned extremely carefully."

"And how are we supposed to divulge this fake information without the help of Mr. Dungeon? He still can't know about any of this." Asked Ennis, excited with the idea.

"And we need to install those bugs late at night. Any other time and people in the firm would know. I'm thinking about 3 am or 4 am." Ennis said, still going over the details in his mind.

"Pffft. Those are minimal details. We need to focus on the most important thing. If we do this right, we may catch some thieves sent by Madelyn in a trap. Imagine if we get a confession from them!" Jack was almost screaming with excitement.

"Yes, but first, the rest needs to be done."

"Can you two stop a moment?" Enrique's voice had a tone of authority. The two younger men finally fell silent.

"I know this is very exciting, but let's not have this conversation in the dining room. I have a studio, with sofas and a very nice scotch." Enrique stood up and moved to said room without waiting for the two younger men.

"I told you this was gonna be great." Jack said smiling to Ennis.

"I can't believe I've had a pleasant dinner with your father."

"And the night is young." Jack whispered in Ennis's ear as he moved to the door.

Ennis stayed looking at the door. It was funny how things can easily change. There he was a couple of hours ago, thinking the night was going to be horrible. Feeling crushed by all the wealth and money of the Twist family. And now, as oddly as it sounded, he felt almost at home, with a couple of friends in the staff and a gorgeous boyfriend. And even Enrique had been surprisingly nice, at least while they kept the conversation about work. It had been good.

"Are you coming or what?" Jack asked from the door.

And Ennis didn't answer; he just followed his boyfriend.

* * *

**Author: **_I wanted to develop, a lit bit more, the future plan to trick Madelyn Webber. The details and the action will be in a future chapter, but the curiosity is beginning, isn't it? I'm excited myself since I hadn't write that part yet! Ennis's client is for a distant future I promise, right now he's minor work. I'm excited about Enrique's birthday party, but I don't know how much interaction between Ennis and him we will see. What do you want? I just loved Mr. Scoot! Sometimes I wonder where these people come from… _**Don't forget to read the new rewritten chapters!**

_**On the next chapter:**__ Enrique's birthday party is all but relaxed fun. All around the house people talk about the future of the firm, their cases and their relationships. Jack, Ennis, Mary and Elizabeth are no different. But, what about Enrique? What is he suppose to do in this big night? _


	29. Mr Twist's birthday

_**Author's Note: **__Thank you so very much for my friend _Kathy (**kittie8571**_) who is the Beta of this story! _

Thank you everybody for the reviews! Especially to **Judy**, **Jada 91**, **Debra**, **grlewis**, **joetheone**, **bbmfan**, **go for it Jack**, **jealousy** and **WCUGirl**.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty Nine****: Mr. Twist's birthday**

Jack looked at the bright lights and the smiles on the guests' faces. The evening was only just beginning. On that very morning, a gardening team from Manhattan arrived while Jack was having breakfast, carrying more than 20 beautiful, long-stemmed, white roses in large pottery vases. They were displayed all around the backyard, among the sculptures made of ice and the occasional table of appetizers. It all looked magnificent, especially now that the guests had begun to arrive. His father's personal assistant had picked a list of less than 30 people. It was supposed to be a cozy, intimate party. The staff was wearing magnificent dark blue uniforms with their names in silver above their jacket's breast pocket. The press attempted to take pictures of Enrique and some other guests, but thanks to the extra security they had procured, that turned out to be an impossible mission.

Edward and Matilda had taken the night off. The lovely Mexican maid had been in pain all day and Edward was showing the signs of a distressed husband. Even so, Jack was sad not having them at the party. But there were other interesting guests. Mr. Dungeon and his son were talking near the angel of ice. Jack had talked to them for a few minutes, meeting the famous _Dungeon junior_ and easing their concerns about the case. They surely couldn't know about their secret plans and tonight was not the time to worry about it either.

Jack looked around again. Elizabeth and Mary were sitting on a black bench near the lake. They were laughing and discreetly holding hands. Elizabeth was beautiful, as usual, dressed in a blue dress and gold stiletto heels that matched the small purse she was holding on her lap. Mary looked as if she had just arrived from work, which probably was true. She was wearing loose pants of a dark green and a creamed-coloured sweater. It looked good on her. It was only odd when compared to the women next to her. After all, this was not a formal party and Elizabeth was the most formal of all guests. But then, she always was. Jack saw them waving to him and he waved back.

Not far away from them was a group of men and women that Jack easily recognized as mostly members of the board. Jack knew that most of them were friends of his father, but because of his desire to be treated like any other lawyer at the firm, Jack had avoided any association with them. He knew that soon that was about to change too. The next important meeting of the board would be soon. After the Magnet spring party, the members would need to decide who was going to take the vacant position among them. Jack was sure that his father would take him to that meeting.

"Jack, how have you been?" A tall man with long, platinum blond hair walked away from the group in his direction.

Jack recognized him immediately. It was Frederic's father. And if Jack and Enrique were fairly similar in physique, Frederic and Samuel were completely different except for one thing-- the unusual hair color. Samuel was shorter than Frederic and his facial features were strong and not at all beautiful. Frederic was far more handsome, but Samuel was one of the most polite men Jack had ever met. Samuel was a conservative man, with an enormous family past to pass on. He liked Enrique because they both knew how to enjoy a quiet, peaceful life among the rich and famous. No one had a bad thing to say about Samuel Dawson. And no one had been surprised when he had married one of the most beautiful debutants in New York. Yes, he was rich, but he was by far extremely good company and an especially good man.

"Mr. Dawson, what a pleasure. We haven't seen each other in quite a long time." Jack said politely.

"Yes. Quite a long time, indeed. But it's probably my fault. I've been so busy on the member's floor that I forgot to check on you and Frederic. By the way, congratulations on starting to work with your father. I was surprised, but the time is right."

"Thank you, Mr. Dawson."

"I'm sure my wife Sarah would love to see you again. The last time was Christmas morning, I think?" Mr. Dawson was visibly trying to remember when suddenly he spoke again. "There she is! She's going to love to see you."

Sarah Dawson walked in their direction, smiling softly. She was the same age as Enrique and Samuel, but there was something about her appearance that made her look ageless. She had a classic beauty, with long, blond hair, big blue eyes and skin so smooth and white that she looked like a porcelain doll. Cosmetic surgery had done the rest. As far as Jack remembered, she had never had a wrinkle on her face or wore jeans and a t-shirt for a picnic party. When Jack read Jane Austen novels, he would usually picture the female characters looking similar to Sarah Dawson in his mind.

"Jack! What a delightful surprise." She gave Jack two kisses, just like most Europeans used to do. It was an exasperating habit she had. "I'm still waiting for the visit you promised me last Christmas. Frederic and I are most displeased."

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Dawson, but I've been extremely busy this year." Jack apologized to the older woman.

"Don't call me Mrs. Dawson. For you it's Sarah. We're almost family, anyway." Jack ignored the last remark. He finally realized who was supporting Frederic's antics. His mother.

"Yes, I've always seen the both of you as an aunt and uncle. Not to mention Frederic as the brother I never had." Jack was trying hard not to sound too sarcastic and not to laugh at Mrs. Dawson's expression and Mr. Dawson's happiness.

"We like you too, Jack. It's a shame we don't see each other more." Mr. Dawson said gripping his arm.

Jack spotted Ennis arriving. He was wearing cord trousers and a blue polo. And not just _any_ blue polo; _the_ blue polo. The same one he always wore any time he was happy about something in their relationship. Jack knew that the dinner on Monday night was probably the reason. Ennis looked around briefly, trying to find a familiar face. He looked nervous, but only to those who knew him well. To all the others, the serious expression and the rigid posture would be taken as his normal attitude. Finally Ennis's eyes stopped at the black bench where Elizabeth and Mary were sitting. Ennis moved in that direction.

"If you could excuse me." Jack said politely to both Dawsons. He knew they would observe him and Ennis, but he couldn't care less.

"Hi, Jack. I told you he was going to be back soon." Elizabeth said to Ennis when Jack arrived near them.

"Hi, honey." Jack put his arm around Ennis's waist and the blond lawyer kissed him briefly on the lips.

"I've missed you today." Ennis said looking him in the eye.

"It was all Elizabeth's fault. The damn party is giving us a serious headache. There's some grave weather problems on the Asian island where the flowers should come from and now we have to pray for a miracle. I don't even want to talk about it."

"These are the moments when I thank God for all the times when I am bored, sitting in my car, holding my gun and waiting for something to happen. None of that compares to discussing flower arrangements or trying to convince a group of people that it is acceptable for a man to wear a bra."

"That was _one_ time. The guy was too rich to lose half of his money on the divorce just because he had a clothes fetish. And he was also too important a client for me not to take the case." Ennis was curious but made no questions about such peculiar case, as his godmother looked rather annoyed with Mary for mentioning it. Elizabeth looked then at Jack. "By the way, what did the Dawsons want with you?"

"The question is what didn't they want. Especially Mrs. Dawson. She's clearly convinced that sooner or later, she will be my mother in law." Elizabeth smiled and Ennis turned back in order to see them better.

"I'm sorry, Ennis. I'm sure this makes you uncomfortable, but it's not my fault and I never gave them any hope about this. Mr. Dawson is a good man and I don't think he was ever really interested in the union; but his wife is a different story."

"You've got nothing to be sorry about. Actually this helps me understand Frederic a little more."

"Ennis, don't get me wrong, Mr. Dawson, Samuel, is a good man. This is all because of Sarah. She was always a manipulative snake, as far as I can remember. Only interested in money and appearances."

"I think I've seen him before at the firm. Is he a member of the board?" Ennis asked, looking at the couple again.

"Yes and a very prestigious one. His work is mostly directive, so that's why you don't know him that well." Elizabeth explained.

"He used to be famous for his lectures at law shcool and the university. A couple of friends of mine have him for _Law and Legislation_." Mary said to Ennis and Jack.

"I remember Elizabeth's lessons back at that time." Jack said laughing.

"I don't know why you're laughing; you used to be a great student. And if I remember correctly, I was your favourite teacher."

"You used to be everybody's favourite teacher. No one could resist your little plays. What did you call them?" Jack questioned himself. "Oh, I remember now. «Fantasy court»!" Ennis and Mary laughed.

"It was a new technique I'd learned in Europe. It did work; it was just a bit childish at first. But that was only because you weren't taking it seriously!"

"I believe you gave it another name the next year." Jack said remembering. "But, do tell me. Why did you give up on schooling? You're really good at it."

"It was fun, but the problem was the amount of time one has to spare planning it. When you're a young lawyer, it makes sense and it's fun, but now I don't have enough free time to be a good teacher."

"I think I understand. Maybe I can work on that area soon." Jack sad seriously and the others understood that he was talking about the time when he would take his father's place.

"Well, what about you, Mary? You never thought about teaching at the academy or the university?" Ennis asked, trying to change the subject.

"I have a few invitations, especially from the academy, but I doubt I would ever have the patience to do it. I would probably kill a student or two by the end of my first week."

"I could picture that easily." Jack said with a small smile.

"Besides, I'm too good a detective to waste my time with toddlers."

"Speaking about you being a good detective, can you come up to the firm on Friday morning? We have a few things to talk about with you." Jack said moving closer.

"Madelyn Webber's case? I was wondering when you were going to call me again. That woman is the devil himself." Elizabeth made a face at Mary's expression about the devil and the brunette woman rolled her eyes. "I'll be there on Friday, don't worry."

"When is your father coming down to entertain all these guests? I swear they're getting more agitated by the minute." Elizabeth asked, looking around.

"Soon, I hope. Uncle Daniel was with him a few minutes ago. They were going over some last minute details. They'll be here shortly."

"Tell me, Jack, honestly, how is he?" Elizabeth asked concerned.

"The doctors had to increase his medication this week. It's all comprehensible when he spends all his time working in the firm. He's mostly on painkillers, but there are always side effects for these raisings. He's been having stomach aches all week, especially by the end of the day and after dinner." Jack felt Ennis's hand come to entwine with his own.

"I see…" Elizabeth whispered to no one in particular.

Mary was about to add something else to their conversation when Enrique appeared from inside of the house. He walked calmly in the company of Uncle Daniel to the little stage with a microphone that had been placed near the other side of the lake. The crowd began to cheer his welcome and soon everybody was clapping hands.

"Thank you, friends and family." Enrique said into the microphone.

"Thank you for being here today, the day when I'm turning 55 years old. Some of you only came to visit me this time of the year, so I learned to cherish this day tenderly. Today won't be any different. I hope you all enjoy yourselves, but most of all, I hope that by the end of the night, we all have a new delicious memory of another special reunion of friends. God bless you all, good night."

Jack felt a tear rolling down his cheek and he quickly tried to hide it. His father's speech had a different meaning for him. He was reading between the lines. And in moments like this, he hated his father for hiding the truth from almost everybody. It was killing him.

"You always were the sentimental fool of the family, Jack."

Jack looked at the source of the feminine voice and smiled. There, facing him, was Natalie Woolf, one of his favourite cousins, although quite distant in blood line from his mother's side. She was younger than him by a few years and had the same blue eyes Jack and his mother had shared. She was slightly shorter than Jack and was wearing white jeans and a t-shirt full of little cartoon characters. Jack noticed that the power puff girls were sticking their tongues out at him on her right shoulder. She'd always looked like she was no more than 16, and that had yet to change. It was a side of her prodigious mind no one seemed to understand. Jack remembered how impressed they had all been in the family when, by the age of five years old, she could read, write and do more than basic mathematics. Natalie was a 'wonder girl' and had been so until she turned into the genius woman she was now. She was no longer a silent girl who would run and hide inside Enrique's library until Jack would eventually find her, but she still looked like she was.

"Natalie, so good to see you." Jack said, hugging her strongly. She giggled a little, which made her look even younger and then she kissed his cheek affectionately.

"It's good to see you too, Jack." It was always odd to hear her speak in such a mature manner while dressed like a pre-teen with bad taste.

"Natalie, I wanted to introduce you to my boyfriend, Ennis. And that is Elizabeth, whom you already know and her fiancée, Mary." Jack looked at Ennis. "Natalie is one of my few cousins and my favourite one."

"Nice to meet you, Ennis." She said kissing him too on the cheek. "Jack and I keep in touch by e-mail and lately he's been writing a lot about you. I admit, I was curious to finally meet you."

"Nice to meet you too." Ennis said smiling warmly.

"And nice to meet you, Mary. I didn't know you were engaged again until I saw it in the papers and Jack wrote me about it. It was a very nice surprise." She looked at Elizabeth, sighed and spoke again. "I do believe in true love and I'm always happy to see people still searching for and finding it every day."

"You're very philosophical today, Natalie. Is this a sign that you finally found it?" Jack asked amused.

"Oh, Jack. Unfortunately not…" She thought for a second and then added. "_We choose those we like; with those we love, we have no say in the matter._"

"It couldn't be truer." Mary said thoughtfully.

"Natalie is studying abroad in London, taking her masters in Physics." Jack said proudly. "I've lost count of how many degrees she has by now."

"That's pretty impressive. I've never met a genius in person. I hope I'm not offending you?" Ennis ask delicately. He still didn't possess the capacity of talking easily with people he didn't know well.

"Not at all. But, it has been my personal experience that people nowadays value too much intelligence." She smiled and her facial expression immediately changed. The young woman with odd clothes was gone and Ennis was looking at someone else. Someone whose wisdom was shining in her eyes, blinding everyone around it.

"You see Ennis, intelligence can only take you so far. Einstein always said that he would always choose creativity over intelligence, because creativity, fortunately, has no limits." Ennis savoured the sweet irony that Natalie's own intelligence was challenging its own value.

"So you would consider artists more fortunate than scientists?" Mary asked, clearly interested in the conversation.

"Perhaps, in their own way, since they have no limits to their works. But as I see it, the really notorious man and woman who walked on this planet had a wonderful way of combining intelligence and creativity." She paused for a second, almost as if waiting for them to make a comment. "For example, the now popular renaissance artist, Leonardo Davinci, was also an amazing anatomist and had a fair knowledge of the body. He was even an inventor and his philosophies were way ahead of his time. Back in those times, man had intelligence, studying very different areas. Now we're happy if we know a few things."

"The times were different and the knowledge far less vast. But I understand your point completely." Elizabeth said nodding.

"I can't introduce you to anyone, Natalie. You always seem to silence everyone after a few minutes. I thought your stay in Britain would have taught you more proper manners."

"You have no idea, Jack." She said mysteriously. "But that's a story for another night. Perhaps I'll accept your father's invitation and I'll come back for the Magnet spring party to tell you all about it."

Jack suspected that his father had the intention of announcing his illness and departure from the advocacy at the famous party. And if he was inviting the few family members they had to come, then his suspicions were probably correct. He feared for the results of such a dramatic night.

"I think you really should come." Jack said softly and Natalie nodded silently.

"Anyway, Ennis, Jack told me you're Texan. I was very intrigued."

"I came form a small town. My parents owned a ranch there. I got lucky and got this amazing job. Nothing much to say, I'm afraid." Ennis said, feeling a bit uncomfortable.

"Do let me disagree, Ennis. _What are men compare to rocks and mountains? _You must have the most amazing stories about your childhood."

Ennis found himself looking at the odd woman with a surprised look on his face. Jack's family sure was eccentric and he wasn't even thinking about the money.

* * *

After dinner, Ennis engaged in a funny conversation with Natalie and Jack while Elizabeth and Mary talked with acquaintances, many of whom expressed their belated congratulations for their engagement. From time to time, someone from the board or another lawyer would come and make conversation with Elizabeth. She was not wrongly known to be very popular. Ennis knew very few people in the firm who disliked the blond woman. 

Ennis enjoyed the meal and even what little conversation he had with Enrique when he gave him his present and during the meal. The older lawyer was slowly opening up to him and he was delighted with the change. Jack smiled during the whole meal and his eyes would shine whenever Ennis and Enrique exchanged more than two words. It had all been extremely pleasant.

"And then he said to me 'a frog in a well does not know the great sea.'" Natalie finished her tale about some Japanese restaurant where she usually had dinner in London.

"A proverb?" Jack asked, confused.

"A Japanese proverb, exactly. He said that his daughters were always right and that I would soon understand the true meaning of the words."

"You shouldn't be so superstitious." Jack said rolling his eyes. "I remember that time with the gypsy woman near the Empire State Building. She read your palm and you stayed inside for a whole month waiting for the « accident» to happen."

"Jack, you know how I am. Terribly rational about some things and irrationally terrified of others. No one is perfect. I'm well aware of my faults, thank you very much, but I just can't fight them."

"No one can." Ennis added naturally.

"Why are you guys not dancing?" Natalie asked after a while, when a young man, a friend of uncle Daniel, asked her to dance with him. Mary and Elizabeth were also moving to the small dance floor.

There were a few couples already dancing. The make shift dance floor was on the other side of the garden, near the small table where Enrique and uncle Daniel were talking with a couple of women similar in age. The lights were a bit brighter and the DJ was playing older, well-known hits, probably Enrique's favourites.

"I'm getting up the courage to ask Ennis. He's a bit shy." Jack said, flirting with Ennis. Natalie smiled and followed her dance partner.

"So, Ennis. Will you dance with me?" Jack moved closer and Ennis looked up from the ground to fix his gaze at his eyes.

"I don't know if we should. Your dad is right in front…"

"We're going to dance at the Magnet spring party so you'd better start training now." Jack said, interrupting Ennis.

"You don't even know if I know how to dance."

"You don't have to, you're dancing with me." Jack said smiling.

"You're so full of yourself, Jack Twist." Ennis smiled too.

"Listen, Frank Sinatra and Bono. I've got you under my skin. One of my favourites, it's a sign." Jack grabbed Ennis's hand and moved to the dance floor.

"Jack, this is a bad idea." Ennis looked at the people surrounding them, but no one seemed to notice them.

"Nonsense." Jack said, putting Ennis's hand on his waist. "You're leading."

"I have a bad feeling about this." Ennis whispered in Jack's ear, holding his right hand.

"You're just nervous. Just follow the music."

…_I've got you deep in the heart of me. _

_So deep in my heart you're really a part of me…_

Ennis started to move slowly. The music was slow and Jack, of course, was an amazing dancer. Ennis wasn't that bad actually, but he was terribly nervous. He kept glancing at Enrique, but the older man was only looking, not showing any signs of distaste. Ennis took a deep breath and smiled at Jack, who was obviously having a great time.

"_I've said to myself this affair never will go so well; but why should I try to resist, when baby will I know than well… That I've got you under my skin._" Jack sang low only to their ears.

Ennis was speechless. Nothing he could say would ever equal the small confession of love Jack had just confessed to him at that moment. He opened his mouth but nothing came to his mind. He kept staring at Jack's eyes and moving them both around the dance floor. There was no one else in that garden for both of them.

…_I'd sacrifice anything come what might;_

_For the sake of having you near…_

"By the way, I love your blue polo. It's nice to know you like me too." Jack said teasing. He had waited all night to mention the blue polo. He knew Ennis wouldn't feel comfortable in front of the others.

"I do a lot more than like you." Ennis said, moving closer to kiss Jack on the lips.

…_But each time I do, just the thought of you makes me stop before I begin…_

Sitting in front of the dancing floor, observing the young couple, Enrique sighed loudly. Things weren't going the way he had expected. His first impression of Ennis had been wrong. It was clear that the Texan lawyer loved his son and he had no doubt that Jack was madly in love with him. The big question was if that was ever going to be enough.

* * *

**Author: **_I just love Frederic Dawson. He's a very peculiar character and I felt we needed to understand him a bit more. Also add a new member to the Twist family, although I'm not sure if Natalie is going to appear any time sooner. She's a very distant relative! But I have to confess that the dancing scene had been on my mind for some time. Was it any good? I felt it could had been better. Tell me your opinion!  
_

_**Ps**__: I'm sorry for the delays in the updates! I've been busy and also I've been writing a lot on the next part of law and love. I'm not sure if I should give it another name… Anyway, I got hocked on the very intense first chapter and I didn't concentrate on the present chapters. Sorry!___

_**On the next chapter:**__ Ennis, Jack, Enrique and Mary, are working on the plan to catch spy. But there is still much work ahead. And the list of suspects is growing! Jack and uncle Daniel discuss their relationships during lunch at the club, but the main topic seems to be Jack's future overtake of the Firm. Is Jack ready to be the future boss? _


	30. The before and after

_**Attention!**_

_**I'm reposting most of the old chapters with new plot and new scenes. This week will have another 5 chapters (six to nine)! Please read and review!**_

_**Author's Note: **__Thank you so very much for my friend Kathy (**kittie8571**__) who is the Beta of this story! _

_Thank you everybody for the reviews! Especially to **Debra**, **Jada91**, **WCUGirl,****joetheone**, **coldprin**, **Ana**, **Mia** and **delvamom**._

* * *

**Chapter Thirty****: The before and after**

Jack moved slowly under the sheets. He felt momentarily lost. He wasn't in his bed. Looking at the small light coming from the window, he concluded that he wasn't even in his bedroom. He moved again, cursing the strange pillow that, unlike his own, wasn't made of duck feathers. Jack tried to sit up on the bed, but a strong arm was holding him, keeping him pinned against the bed. He slowly turned his head to find a sleepy Ennis snoring quietly on the next pillow.

Of course. He was sleeping in Ennis's bed at Ennis's apartment. He tried to remember last night, but it was all still foggy. He was always slow in the morning and the champagne they had at the end of the night probably didn't help.

"Damn. There's a reason why I never drink champagne after dinner." He whispered to the ceiling, as the details of last night came into his mind.

Ennis and Jack had danced a few songs and unbelievably kissed more than once in front of everybody. No one seemed to be that shocked, with the exception of uncle Daniel's new girlfriend, and Sarah Dawson. But surely the two women had very different reasons. Enrique had said absolutely nothing, to Jack's surprise, and the rest of the night was spent drinking a very fine French champagne in the company of uncle Daniel, his girlfriend – who was no longer shocked – and Enrique.

After a few hours, Jack had convinced Ennis that since uncle Daniel was going to sleep at the house, he could easily spend the night out. To be honest, Ennis didn't need much to be convinced. Even considering he had been far more sober than Jack, it had been the only time Jack had seen Ennis under the effect of alcohol and he had been surprised. Ennis could cope with a lot of drinking without showing any outward signs. Even by the end of the night, the only difference Jack had noticed was the small smile on Ennis's face and the fact that Ennis couldn't seem to stop discreetly touching him. Little things like the palm of his hand on the bottom of his back, or the fingers that never seemed to leave his left knee.

Yes, alcohol seemed to leave Ennis happy and horny. So when they finally arrived at the apartment, Jack found himself in the arms of his boyfriend, being carried bride style to the bedroom. And if he hadn't been so drunk, he probably would have feared for his life, but all he did was laugh and put his hands around Ennis's neck. When finally, Ennis had laid him in the bed, Jack heard him say something about making love, which honestly made sense considering the few other jumbled memories he had of the rest of the night. The details were difficult to remember, but Jack was sure that it had been their longest lovemaking session ever. With Ennis very out of character, treating him like a virgin teenager. He was sure Ennis had been oddly gentle and sweet and no complains about «faster» or «harder» had changed Ennis's mind. Jack was sorry now that he couldn't remember more specific details.

"Hmm." Ennis said spooning closer against Jack.

"Are you awake?" Jack whispered to his back.

"I'm trying." Ennis whispered back, hands moving against Jack's belly.

"Does your head hurt?" Jack asked kissing Ennis's left arm.

"Nope. I never get headaches after drinking. But sometimes I get really sick." He pressed his cheek against Jack's. "I didn't drink that much last night."

"Lucky you. I'm dying here."

"Poor baby." Ennis said rubbing his cheek against Jack's. "You have a real beard this morning."

Ennis always found Jack sexier when he didn't shave but he hadn't yet found the courage to admit that to his boyfriend. It was still difficult for him to make such confessions.

"Sorry, but not all of us can have baby skin." Jack said a little annoyed.

"You're grumpy, baby." Ennis said happily. "That's what drinking does to you."

"I'm still trying to remember what it did to you last night."

"Hmm? Ouch… that." Ennis mumbled, resting his head on Jack's shoulder.

"You get sappy and sweet when you're drunk." Jack laughed. "It's odd but you're gayer when you're drunk."

"I guess it was really embarrassing." Ennis said kissing Jack's shoulder.

"Embarrassing? I didn't know you had all that self restraint in you. How long was it, really, honey? I lost count and the sense of reality, after the first hour of screaming. By the way my throat hurts." Jack said, playfully.

"You weren't complaining last night, Jack Twist. Especially in the end."

"Honestly? I would love for a repeat performance, honey. But we're already incredibly late and the only reason I'm only screaming and running is because this is too tempting." Jack waived at them.

"You know, nobody is waiting for us to arrive early today. We have the boss's permission. After all, we were awake because of his big fancy party. No need to get all stressed out." Ennis leaned up on his elbow. "Do you want an aspirin or something? I have a few in the kitchen."

"You convinced me. I'll want the aspirin, your homemade pancakes and sex in the shower. Not necessarily in that specific order."

"Really? I'll see what I can do, Mr. Twist." Ennis picked Jack up from the bed, carrying him to the bathroom. They were both naked and Jack had to laugh at the picture.

"How can you do that? I'm not that thin." Jack asked, holding Ennis's neck for dear life.

"I've been to the gym lately. There's a new one a few blocks away. It helps me handle the stress."

"I noticed, but I thought you would only have jogged more often…" Jack's gaze moved to Ennis's chest, as he was placed in front of the shower door. "You look good, honey."

"Thanks." Ennis mumbled, blushing a bit.

"I can't believe we're both naked, you've just promised me an amazing sexual experience and you're blushing over a simple compliment." Once again, Jack moved his arms to rest around Ennis's neck, looking his boyfriend in the eye. "You deserve all the praise in the world. All the time we've been together, these two months, you've been nothing but absolutely perfect."

"Jack." Ennis whispered.

"I thought I was ready to help you face all the challenges ahead you. I thought I was going to be there, helping you in the search for yourself. And instead, you've been fighting all alone and I'm the one leaning on you for everything. You're an amazing person, Ennis Del Mar. You really are. You're trying to change your life and at the same time, you're rediscovering yourself, finding your new limits." Jack's hands came to hold Ennis's jar. "But I promise you this, Ennis. Once this is over; we're going to do that together. I'll be there for you too. I want to know who I am from then on, because I feel kind of lost, too."

"Baby…" Ennis whispered in Jack's ear, as a big tear rolled from his left eye down his cheek.

Jack kissed and licked the trace of salt water on Ennis's face, sending shivers down the blonde's spine. In less than a few minutes, they were both kissing and caressing frantically, barely stopping to breathe. It was as if they hadn't truly seen each other in a long time. As Ennis gently pushed both their bodies to the floor and their groins touched together in a most familiar way, they finally noticed, again, that they were completely naked.

Jack felt the cold floor against his back, the bright lights on the white ceiling were almost blinding him and the recognizable smell of Ennis's new expensive cologne was in the air. With the exception of the times when Ennis's head would pleasurably block out all the light and his closeness would bring Jack the warmth and the scent that was Ennis and Ennis only, he found it all -- every single aspect of it -- extremely arousing. Perhaps because everyone liked to know, once in a while, how intensely and ardently they are loved. And Ennis had a silent but intense way of showing that and he did it more often than most men or women.

Soon, Jack's self control was gone and he found himself screaming and crying for release. Later, he would complain about how his tender hangover hadn't helped him to keep him in control much longer and he would pretend not to be affected by it. But he knew. He knew why he lost it and why he would eventually lose it that easily any other time with Ennis. It was the intensity of the feelings that would bring him to the edge. It was the way Ennis's brown eyes would shine on him, reminding him of what they had together. And in moments like this, he would always feel that he knew Ennis from long ago. Maybe even before he was born, in the time when his soul was created, cut down by half from Ennis's own. And these thoughts made him realize that he was truly lost in sensation and in the passionate feelings aroused by the moment.

Ennis had finally realized his lover's urgent needs, or at least he had finally stopped suppressing them. With Jack's vocal expressions in mind, Ennis had tried to move as quickly as possible, spitting in his own hand to ease the way. It was most indemnifying and he had never done it before, usually in case of need Jack would suck his finger for a bit, almost as part of the foreplay. But in the present situation there was no time and he was afraid that Jack would break something in frustration if he decided to leave in search for lube to the bedroom. His eyes lay on a bottle of perfumed bath oil, full with odd dry flowers – bougainvilleas and some others he wasn't sure of – floating inside of the bottle and he silently thanked Lucia May, his maid, for the gift. She had given it to him a few days after he had offered her the scarf he had bought in Hollywood. He oddly wondered if she would still call him "_my boy_" if she knew what he intend to do with her little gift.

"Ennis, for the love of God, what are you waiting for?" Jack moaned lustily and Ennis snapped out of his little trance.

In what Ennis was sure to be a national record time, Jack was more than ready for him and Ennis found his way inside Jack's eager body with ease. And if Ennis was topping, as was usual between them, Jack was controlling. The waiting had put him in an almost feral mood and all that was left for Ennis was to follow the pace, because Jack was on fire.

And it didn't surprise either of them when they had come in less than a few minutes, like hormonal teenages. The whole experience had been mostly juvenile, in a perverse kind of way. Jack's legs fell from the strong grip they had been holding around Ennis's waist and Ennis let himself fall, as carefully as possible, on top of Jack.

"Does this count as sex in the shower?" Ennis asked after a while, when Jack's mouth had begun to kiss his forehead.

"Just this once, I'll let it pass and I'll consider it sex in the shower. But you still owe me a repeat of last night's adventures…" Jack laughed a little.

"Spoiled brat." Ennis said kissing Jack's nose.

* * *

Ennis was trying hard not to glance to the right corner of his office's ceiling. It was difficult, especially since he was alone and he knew the small camera was filming him from that point. It was easier with the other two bugs, because they had been carefully hidden between the furniture and the books. So he didn't get the chance to fixate his eyes on the small black spot, only visible to those who knew where to look. It was an odd feeling, knowing he was being filmed. Even stranger if he wondered if Jack would be watching him from the computer in Enrique's office.

They had modified their initial idea and decided to install the cameras during the day. Since they didn't know who was involved, it was a much safer option not to call attention. Ennis had told Mrs. Campbell and everyone that could hear them that the internet in his office needed a new cable system, so a couple of technicians would come that morning and install the modifications.

They stayed in one of the empty offices all morning on the last floor. As a precaution, a few other lawyers suffered the same inconvenience. The technicians worked on the internet in a few offices and then left without any suspicion. The last part had been Enrique's idea and it had worked perfectly.

The first stage of the big plan was complete!

But Ennis now felt like he was on his own disturbing version of Big Brother, being observed and filmed all the time for no apparent reason. Jack had even joked about all the times he could now look at him without him knowing at all. Ennis was thankful for, at least, being the only participant in this version of the show.

The bugs were connected directly with Jack's new laptop in Enrique's office, but were also transmitting the image records to Mary's computer 24 hours a day, at her almost unknown office. It they had been excited with the plan, Mary had gone crazy about it. It had been a long time, she had said, since she had the opportunity to use the new technologies in the market and do a little private spying.

With that stable, they had started discussing the many possibilities for the next stage of the plan. Mary suggested that Jack's initial idea of a very irresistible item to steal was the way to start things. Ennis and Enrique had agreed, but the problem had been on how to do it without making Mr. Dungeon suspicious of what they were doing.

They had decided to fabricate a rumor about a very rare gem being transported from the docks to Mr. Dungeon's factories in New York. It couldn't be too largely spoken about, otherwise Mr. Dungeon would find out. Mary had also done research on the topic in order to find an acceptable lie for the situation.

Even so, Enrique advised Jack to convince Mr. Dungeon to start a publicity campaign in order to regain as many clients as possible. The public attention would also help dismiss any suspicions about the false rumors, in case anything went wrong.

They were all being extremely cautious. As Ennis had said a million times during their conversations, _this was barely legal!_ In Vegas, where old habits hadn't yet totally died, this type of attorney work was quite common. Or so Mary kept telling them.

The last stage of Jack's master plan – now _their_ plan – was still under serious and intense development. Mary had easily found a couple of tough guys to help them with the trap for the eventual robbery. But there were serious legal issues around this part of the plan and Enrique and Ennis were very worried about this. Even if they did catch these guys stealing the _supposed gem_, they couldn't really hand them over to the authorities. After all, they weren't _really_ stealing a gem and it would probably be extremely difficult to connect them directly to Madelyn Webber. Enrique wanted to do it as clearly as possible and Jack wanted to nail Madelyn as soon as possible. Ennis was an important part of the decision, but he was completely confused with all the possibilities.

The firm could do all this without leaving any suspicions. Mary was discreet and knew more about the city than the mayor. Enrique was clearly on their side. But the situation needed serious thinking. Surely this wasn't something any of them could have learned to handle back in university. He wanted to scare Madelyn Webber, but he was also aware of how important this could turn out to be. If they had proof of Madelyn's scheme, _the game was over_. He was focused on making the absolute, right decision, without letting his feelings interfere.

Ennis was once again looking at the small bug on the right corner of the ceiling, when his cell phone rang. It was an unknown number, but Ennis picked it up.

"Ennis Del Mar."

"Mr. Del Mar, it's me, Arnold Hoz."

Ennis rolled his eyes. It had been only on Monday that Arnold Hoz had became his client and he already had more than five different calls from him. This was the sixth in four days. And Ennis was sure, it wasn't going to be the last.

"What can I do to help you, Mr. Hoz?" Ennis tried to sound calm.

"I don't have good news. The negative impact of my son's behavior is interfering with the interest of my private sponsor. They want an immediate meeting and as my lawyer, I need you there, Mr. Del Mar."

"Of course. Can you please send me the full current contract? I need to read it carefully again."

"I'll do that this afternoon."

"Don't worry, Mr. Hoz. It's normal for them to pressure us a bit. The situation wasn't nice for them and there will be limits for what you can and cannot do in the future. But I'm sure your experience in these situations had taught you these things long ago."

"Yes, thank you, Mr. Del Mar. I'll let you know you as soon as they set a date and time for the meeting."

"I'll be waiting then."

"Ok."

"Nice day, Mr. Hoz."

Ennis pressed the red button and sighed out loud. The man would soon drive him crazy, but at least the firm was making money and the same applied to Ennis. And money was definitely something he could surely use at the moment. The new improvements on the Del Mar ranch were on _stand by_, waiting for a flow of cash to initiate. Ennis had phoned David Gorman regularly, promising to visit soon, but he knew that he needed the money before he could make any major decisions. Mr. Hoz may soon become the ticket for the Del Mar ranch renovation.

Ennis looked back to his computer screen. He was trying to catch up with the last news in Hollywood. Since he had accepted this case, he had kept an eye on the news. Madelyn Webber was indeed a regular face. Every day the young actress would do or say something that the reporters would consider wothy enough to be national news. It was quite annoying.

"Ennis?" A feminine voice said from his office's door.

Ennis looked up to find Helen Carrilho standing in front of him, on the other side of the room. She looked surprised but smiled and Ennis raised his hand in silent permission to enter.

"I'm sorry if I startled you. I thought you weren't here. Your secretary is not at her desk, so I thought you would still be home. Considering last night's party and all…" She looked at the piece of paper in her hands and moved to sit on the chair in front of Ennis's desk. "I didn't knock because I was going to leave a note." She raised the piece of paper in front of his eyes.

Ennis was intrigued. First, he was surprised to notice that Helen had entered his office without warning, convinced the room was empty. Ennis wondered if she had entered with other intentions. She was talking about this piece of paper and there was obviously a story behind her visit, but Ennis was left wondering even though her expression looked calm and truthful the whole time.

And where was Mrs. Campbell? Lately the woman was nowhere to be seen. He surely needed to find out what was happening and have a serious conversation with her next. He had a suspicion that Mr. Hoz was probably the reason for his secretary's absence. There were probably other minor requests that the basketball player had sent to his secretary. It was normal behavior for Arnold Hoz, so he didn't think much about it.

"So what brings you here, Helen?" Ennis asked, extremely curious, observing his colleague's facial expression. He wanted to record any reaction, determined to conclude if Helen was being truthful.

"I need your professional opinion. I'm working with Frederic in a divorce case and we wanted your opinion about the final allegation we had written. Frederic and I, we both agree that you're wonderful in this area. Actually, he was the one who convinced me to ask for your help."

"Thanks, I guess. I didn't know you two were back to working together." Ennis said trying to think faster. Frederic had sent Helen to ask for his help? With praise to boot? Perhaps he had done it so that everyone could see Helen entering his office when he was gone. So if he got caught doing the same thing by anyone, he would have a good excuse. Or Helen was lying and all this had been her idea, to hide the need to come by Ennis's office often.

But why would she do that? Jealousy, although a bad one, was the only possible reason and the same applied for Frederic. And the fact that they were working together again was an odd coincidence. And Ennis didn't believe in coincidences. He was then left to waiting for the spy to attack, so that he could dissolve all his doubts.

"He's not that bad, especially if you like to win." She made a small smile and Ennis remained silent.

"He's a good lawyer, that I can't deny it." Ennis said coldly.

"This paper has the codes you need to access the case from your computer into the system of the firm. It's the first time we're doing it this way, and even working in intranet, we're afraid of any outside hacking. Frederic is driving me insane with all his security."

"I'll work on that as soon as I can. I'll send it back by my secretary." He said, avoiding the topic about security for now.

"I'm very grateful, Ennis." She smiled again and in less than a minute, the door closed and Ennis was left trying to figure out all the doubts in his head.

* * *

Jack was positively late for his schedule lunch. He had fallen asleep on Ennis's couch and his boyfriend had taken pity on him, leaving for work without waking him, leaving a small note of love. Jack hadn't been so happy about it. He _hated_ being late. It gave him the sensation of losing control about basic aspects in life. It was uncomfortable for such a control freak like him. And he had no problem accepting that he was one.

He stopped his blue BMW in front of the main door and offered his car key to the valet. The receptionist waved at him and he had to kiss at least three other people on his way to the restaurant. He passed the clay tennis court and his instructor sent him a death glare. Jack answered with a short apologetic look. It had been a long time since he had any lessons; the other man should really be pissed with him. He waved at him but got no answer and with a few more steps, Jack finally arrived at the restaurant.

The restaurant wasn't nearly full and his party was seated at the best table of the room, at least it was in Jack's opinion. The table at the right corner, where he was seated, was close enough to the aquarium, where lobsters would fight every five seconds, since the crazy chef was convinced that they shouldn't be restricted from their natural behavior, or they wouldn't taste the same. When Jack was 12 years old, one lobster cut the claw of another one during dinner and Jack's enthusiastic scream had silenced the whole room. He was grounded for a week. A month after the _incident_ Enrique forbid him to speak about lobsters or anything closely related ever again. But Jack's fascination with the weird animals would last a few more years, until the age of teenagerdom taught him that liking lobsters wasn't really that cool.

"Jack, I'm surprised to say this, but you're incredibly late!" There was a small laugh and Jack was forced to smile back.

Uncle Daniel was always nice company, but every time they met outside the Twist's mansion, the topics of conservation weren't really to Jack's liking. So maybe that was why he was forcing himself to smile at the red haired man. That and the fact that lunch today was probably going to be some insipid salad, since uncle Daniel was on his fifth diet of the early Spring and no one wants to tempt a determined, good man full with good intentions.

"Being completely honest, I forgot all about our lunch until 15 minutes ago." Jack said as he sat down.

"I see… That's why you're still wearing last night's suit. Too busy to change clothes?" There was a small smile on uncle Daniel's face but Jack felt immediately defensive. He didn't want this lunch to turn into a debate about his relationship with Ennis. He had enough of that back at home.

"Shouldn't we be talking about your new girlfriend? Did Dad approve of her?"

"Of course he did. We both know she's just another beautiful face to lighten up my days and nothing more." Uncle Daniel said waving at the waitress. Jack tried to look shocked with his words.

"Please, Jack. You're not a kid anymore. There's no reason to deny you the truth. I never got over the love of my life and I never will. There will be no other Mrs. Smith." Uncle Daniel said after the waitress left with their orders.

"You're still young. There's no reason why you should follow my father's example. You've got nothing to prove." Jack sighed and his eyes moved to the lobsters. Old habits did die hard. "You loved her very much. You've spent more than 10 years of your life alone. Don't you think she would _want_ you to be happy?" Just as Jack had predicted, the conversation was quickly proceeding to unsafe water.

"I _am_ happy. I have this club and my charity work. I have a few good friends and a loving family." Uncle Daniel's eyes rested on him and Jack understood his meaning perfectly.

"I worry about you. I don't want you to turn out like my dad." Jack finally confessed, not looking at the older man.

"And is that such a bad thing? He's a good man, a wonderful father, successful in every single thing he tries… Happy are those who turn out like him."

"He's alone." Jack said and his eyes moved to the landscape on the other side of the glass window. The golf course was peaceful at that time of the day.

"He has _you_. He'll never be alone. And for that matter, I have you too."

"I have to wonder if that's really enough. Not only for him, but for you too." Jack's eyes returned to his uncle.

"Is that what this is all about?" Uncle Daniel asked seriously.

"Yeah, I guess." Jack answered vaguely.

"Jack… Your father and I, we've been your closest family all these years. Especially when my wife died, you were what gave us the strength to continue. We wanted to see you grow up, to love through all those years. And believe me, if you were enough back then, you'll surely _always_ be enough." Uncle Daniel's hand came to hold Jack's on the other side of the table. "I know Enrique is not that good with vocalizing his feelings, but he feels the same way I do. And if he seems crazy from time to time, it's because he loves you…"

"I should have known. Is this the reason for this lunch? Are you going to defend Dad? Making me see his reasons like so many times before?" Jack interrupted, annoyed.

"Jack, it's my obligation to keep the two of you together. And as you've said, I've done it successfully many times before."

"If we're talking about obligations, let me tell you this. The only reason I'm still here is because it's my obligation to hear you out on this. And we would never have had the need for this conversation if Dad would stick to his obligations and support me on my personal decisions!" The couple sitting at the closest table stared at them and Jack forced himself to remain calm.

"I'm repeating myself, I know, but let me tell you again Jack, that your father and I care about you. I worry about your future too. Your dad is just taking it a little far, which is natural considering everything he's going through."

"My dad wants me to assure him that I'll have a son to carry on the Twist name. No matter what happens in the future, he wants to be sure! How can I promise him that? He hasn't yet asked me, but he will soon. I know he will. And what will I do then? Even if I was married with a pregnant wife I couldn't assure him of that. I simply couldn't! The current situation only makes it worst." Jack's eyes escaped to the window again.

"I suspected something like that…"

"And with this crazy obsession, he's convinced himself that Ennis is a bad candidate to be a father to the _Twist heir_. I can understand his reasoning, I suppose. I see that our relationship may _never_ reach that level; but, honestly, _I don't care_. I've thought about kids and I would _love_ to have them with Ennis. If I could, I would carry them for him! But I can't and honestly I would understand Ennis's position. He didn't know he had feelings for men for 30 years of his life; I can't just come to him and ask him if he wants to have a family with me after two months, no matter how distant in the future the possibility is. It wouldn't be fair to him."

"I didn't know Ennis… wasn't… I mean." Uncle Daniel struggled to formulate his words.

"Yeah. And Dad somehow knew that we had a few problems with that in the beginning of our relationship. As far as it goes, I'm the only man Ennis has ever had feelings for. Sometimes I wonder if he's bisexual." Jack looked at his uncle, worry all over his face. "We've been avoiding that conversation. I mean, _I've_ been avoiding that conversation. I wanted him to find out for himself what this feeling meant for him. He's a complex man and he and dad are so similar in so many ways. I know he loves me and that's all that matters right now. The "don't you wanna have kids?" question is neither here nor there at this point in our relationship, as far as I'm concerned."

"You should be having this conversation with Enrique."

"He only wants to hear me say that I'll be the perfect boss at the firm and that I'll have a son, even if I have to marry Frederic Dawson to do it! Anything else is of no interest."

"Frederic? The blond kid, Samuel's son?" Uncle Daniel asked, surprised.

"He's been all over me about him, and even his mother's been bothering me. I wonder if Dad is trying to bring back the "arranged marriage." I'm already seeing myself in the role of a medieval princess struggling not to get married. Except, considering it's Frederic, I'm kind of lost as to who the princess is." Jack replied bitterly.

"Jack, I don't think Enrique would do that. He may pressure you and maybe even Ennis, but he wants your happiness."

"He has an odd way of showing it."

"Jack, don't act rashly on this. Wait to see your dad's next move. I got the impression from last night that his opinion is improving. And about Frederic… Well, don't take him too seriously. You two would be a splendid match. His mother simply can't deny that."

"If only it could be that simple."

"Why does it have to be so complicated?"

"Because life's a bitch and then you die." Uncle Daniel laughed.

"That was profound. But what are you going to do about it?"

"I'll try the best I can to keep both Ennis and Dad happy, starting with the Magnet spring party and our current case."

"You should talk with your father."

"You can't talk to someone who doesn't want to listen. And I'm not going to scare Ennis away with conversations about babies. It's too soon."

"So, basically, you'll do nothing about this." Uncle Daniel fell silent as their plates arrived.

"Uncle Dan, we're at that jumping off point, where things haven't yet happened, so you can't react to them yet. Using your words, we basically wait."

"Just be gentle with your father when he finally approaches you about this."

"I'll try." Jack let out a sigh and looked at the aquarium where three lobsters were involved in a pretty nasty fight.

"Everything will be fine, you'll see."

"Yeah." Jack answered, still looking at the lobsters.

"Jack, are you looking at the lobsters?" Uncle Daniel asked and they both laughed, glad of the stress reliever.

* * *

**Author: **_I had a amazing day! It's democracy day in Portugal so my family and I went on a small trip to a great museum, witch is also near a lake. And I found this adorable little cat that was alone in the world! Of course it's now sleeping in my living room. I'm a spoiled brat! Also my amazing beta sent me back chapter 30 and 31! I'm excited. The story is in a total different level! And I want your opinions! __**Also check on the new rewritten chapters! **_

_**On the next chapter:**__ Jack and Enrique argue about Ennis and the future of the Twist family and things get ugly. In the middle of all these Ennis has endless work thanks to Mr. Hoz and Sophie to take care for the night! And who is the figure in Ennis office? Is it the spy? _


	31. Conflits of love

_**Author's Note: **__Thank you so very much for my friend _Kathy (**kittie8571**_) who is the Beta of this story! _

Thank you everybody for the reviews! Especially to **Debra**, **joetheone**, **coldprin**, **Sas87**, **fetix** and **ann-sue**.

* * *

**Chapter Thirty One****: Conflicts of love**

Ennis was dreaming about riding. He was back at the ranch, riding the old black stallion his father used to have when he was young. He wasn't riding alone. Next to him, Jack Twist was riding a beautiful white horse. Ennis recognized the mare. It was Medusa.

The landscaping was beautiful. A long vision of yellow land colored by green and brown. And Ennis could close his eyes and still see it, still feel it. The hot breeze against his face; the smell of the soil around him and the sound of the horses breathing next to them.

He was alive. Connected to the land under him.

He was complete. Right where he belonged, with whom he loved.

"Ennis?"

Jack's voice came as a whisper. Ennis was forced to open his eyes and look at his boyfriend. But he was not speaking; he was still focusing on an invisible point at the horizon.

"Ennis?"

The voice was louder and clear. It most certainly was Jack's voice. But his boyfriend, sitting on the mare next to him, was still in a daze.

"Ennis?"

Ennis opened his eyes, blinking rapidly, this time in reality. Jack's face was inches away from his and the room around them was dark. There was an annoying sound close to them. He was still confused and his mind was trying to recall his most recent memory.

"Ennis. Your work cell phone is ringing. It must be important. Come on!" Jack said patting him on the shoulder.

Ennis understood Jack's words, but everything else made little sense. So he decided to sit up on the bed and take the mobile phone Jack was offering.

"Ennis Del Mar." It took him a few seconds to remember his formal greeting.

"Mr. Del Mar? Are you Mr. Hoz's lawyer?" Ennis struggled with the urge to throw the cell phone at the wall and go back to sleep.

"Yes, I'm Mr. Hoz's lawyer. How may I help you?" Ennis was sure that Jack had made a strange noise after he had said _Mr. Hoz_.

"My name is Bill Wood and I'm the legal representative and attorney to St. Bartholomew College. I would like to inform you that the college of St. Bartholomew is filing an action against your client. As you know, the procedure of calling opponent lawyers is not common but is our usual practice at St. Bart's."

"When will I have access to the complaint? Should I ask for the court notification?" Ennis asked, feeling his brain returning to its normal function.

"No. I'll be available for a meeting on Monday. St. Barth's wishes to treat this as informally as possible. We feel that our institution's reputation has been damaged by the presence of Mr. Hoz's son."

"We'll have to see about that, Mr. Wood. Has my client been informed?"

"He's in with the headmaster himself right now."

"Mr. Wood, would you be interested in meeting with me at the Magnet Firm after lunch on Monday?"

"It can be arranged, Mr. Del Mar. I'll call you to confirm on Monday morning."

"Very well, until Monday, Mr. Wood."

"Until Monday."

Ennis turned the phone off and looked at Jack sleeping on the pillow. They'd spent their Saturday at the Del Mar ranch. On Friday, they took a plane in the afternoon and came back Saturday night, arriving home just this morning. It had been really tiresome, but both Ennis and Jack had had a great time. David and Mr. Deacon were glad to see them and Ennis had shown Jack (by tractor!) the perimeter of the ranch. They'd decided to return on Sunday since Jack was worried about his father and Ennis had a lot of work to do.

The spy had yet to be discovered. Ennis had his suspicions but lately the list of possibilities was getting bigger and bigger. Ennis told Jack about Helen and Frederic and the incident on Thursday at his office. Both of them decided that they should keep an eye on the other two attorneys.

He took the rest of the week to interview the witnesses of the case. There were mostly men and women who had been with Madelyn Webber at the party where she lost the jewelry. It had been a hard and tedious job. Not to mention that Mr. Hoz's appointment with the sponsor had been a near disaster. If it hadn't been for Ennis, the contract would no longer exist.

At the firm, their planted rumor had started to circulate and it was getting more complicated to keep it away from Mr. Dungeon's ears. So far, everything was under control. The fake transport was determined to occur in a week and the truck and the guys needed to make it credible were already chosen. It was all in motion. But what Ennis hadn't expected – although he probably should have – was that Mr. Hoz would choose this moment to get into more trouble.

He sighed and rubbed Jack's arm, and his boyfriend stirred in his sleep. Ennis hated himself for having to wake him up. But leaving a note wasn't the same thing.

"Jack? Baby?" Ennis whispered.

"Don't worry I wasn't sleeping again yet." The brunette said, his face buried in his pillow.

"I have to go to the firm. Mr. Hoz will be there and calling me in minutes." Ennis said leaning on his elbow. "This time it's his kid's college I have to worry about."

"I hate that man. He hasn't let you breath all week. Soon you'll have to sleep at his house."

"I don't think he swings that way, baby. If you go by the number of kids and ex-wives he has, that is." Ennis caressed Jack's hair lightly.

"You know what I mean." Jack said looking at him from his pillow.

"I really don't have any other choice. But I'll be back for dinner, is that ok?"

"Yeah. I'm going to sleep a bit more and then I'm going home to see my dad."

"Ok. If Veronica appears, tell her I had to go to work and to please leave food for Neve after you go."

"I'll be a good wife, don't worry." Jack said jokingly.

"You better be." Ennis said kissing him.

* * *

Jack entered the living room, feeling much more rested. He had skipped lunch but at least he'd slept more than eight hours. Matilda and Edward had been scandalized by the fact that he had skipped a meal and were now cooking like two possessed chefs. He looked around, trying to find his father.

"Dad?" Jack called down the long corridor.

"I'm in the studio, son." Enrique's voice was distant.

"Hi, dad." Jack said entering the room.

His father was seated in the big leather chair, under a desk filled with papers. The computer was playing a soft melody that Jack recognized as the famous _Bridge Over Troubled Water_.

"Hi, Jack. How was your Saturday?" He asked without looking up from the papers.

"Good. We had a nice time at Ennis's ranch." Jack said with caution.

"Did you meet with Elizabeth after you left?" He asked. This time blues eyes mirrored blue eyes.

"Yes. We have new flowers for the party. All the details are set and I think everything will be perfect. We have a couple of surprises planned this year."

"Good. We'll have the meeting about the new board member this week. I'll tell you soon about the day and time. The other members are excited about your presence."

"I figured." Jack said, sitting down on the chair next to the desk. Enrique looked at him, papers momentarily forgotten on the desk.

"Dad, what is with you and Ennis?" Jack abruptly asked, his conversation with Uncle Daniel driving him to do it.

"First I thought you didn't like him because he was not as rich as we are. I thought you were afraid that he only wanted me for my money. But now that you know him better, and you see that's not the case, you still disapprove."

"You're right, I didn't take him seriously at first and I did have suspicions about his intentions. But you're right, that's not the case anymore."

"Then what is it? What exactly do you expect from him?" Jack shut his mouth before he could ask his father what more he could want from _him_.

"Jack? How serious is your relationship with Ennis?" Jack raised an eyebrow at the question.

"That question comes at least two or three months too late, Dad." Jack knew this was far from being a conversation about the seriousness of their relationship.

"Maybe. But I'd appreciate an answer, son."

"As serious as any relationship between two adults, who've known each other for more than three months can be." He said looking at his father without breaking eye contact.

"Does he love you?" Jack could feel the blood pulsing in his ears.

"You've seen us together. What do _you_ think?"

"Answer your father, Jack."

"Yes. What more do you want to hear? You sure know I love him back!" Jack caressed his watch absentmindedly.

"Jack…"

"Dad, I'm only going to say this once. You can ask practically _anything_ of me, _anything_! But you _cannot_ tell me who to love! So if I hear a word about babies and Frederic Dawson, you can forget you ever had a son!" He hadn't wanted to blurt it out this way, but the words were out of his mouth before he could stop them.

"Frederic?" Enrique had a puzzled look on his face.

"Do you deny that you have supported his intentions towards me?"

"Jack, Frederic was a mistake. I did make one harmless comment to him and his mother, but at the time, I had no idea that you loved Ennis and the two of you were exclusive. I'll try to amend that." Enrique was completely calm while Jack was still fuming in his chair.

"And what about all this talk about babies? What is it that you want from us exactly?"

"It's not you, son. I felt, almost from the beginning, that Ennis wasn't confident in his feelings. And to be honest, that broke my heart. He loves you, but I'm just not sure how much."

"Not enough to decide to have a family? Is that it?"

"You have to understand my concern, son. After all these years, you've had no one but me in your life. You deserve to have a family. Please Jack, let me at least talk to him. I understand why you can't do it, but I'm your father and I think he'll understand that I'm just trying to look out for you. Please…"

Jack had heard enough. "You know what you'll achieve? That I'll be all alone in the end. Ennis will leave too and there will never be a Twist heir!" Jack practically screamed. He was being suffocated by his own feelings.

"Son, I know more about life, I've lived a lot longer. Please . . . give me a chance to speak with him, just to feel him out…" Jack's mobile phone beeped and he looked at it, ignoring his father's pleas.

"It's Robert. Seems he's back from Florence. I'm going to pick him at the airport." Jack stood from his chair without looking at his father.

"You'll do no such thing. THIS CONVERSATION IS NOT OVER!"

"Yes it is. I don't want to hear another word about it. And if you don't want to be the last of the Twists, I advise you not to go anywhere near Ennis."

Jack left without another word, leaving Enrique breathing hard and fighting the strong pain in his belly. He reached for the drawer, grabbing the orange cylinder from inside. He quickly popped four painkillers into his mouth. He sat down slowly on the chair and closed his eyes.

The music around him was still playing, reminding him that he was indeed like a bridge over trouble water, and he _would_ ease Jack's mind about this. Even if he had to brainwash Ennis Del Mar to do it. Even if this was the last thing he would ever do.

* * *

Your first impulse is always the most fair. It's the truest of them all; of all the others that may come. And Jack knew that in theory, but it didn't feel that way right now. The conversation with his father kept replaying in his mind. He could understand his father's reasons but he was terrified with the idea of losing Ennis. They had become inseparable these last couple of weeks and Jack had never been so sure of his feelings. A confrontation between Ennis and Enrique could throw that all away. Jack knew he couldn't survive a break-up with Ennis and the loss of his father at the same time.

"Are you waiting for your girlfriend? Don't worry, young man, the planes are very safe nowadays." The old woman sitting next to him at the airport remarked to him.

She'd probably noticed his worried face and figured that he was waiting for a loved one. He forced himself to smile.

"No ma'am." She smiled widely at his manners.

"A boyfriend then?" Jack was surprised by her question, but she only smiled.

"No, ma'am, my best friend. My boyfriend is working." She nodded.

"I was mistaken. You're not worred about planes."

Jack said nothing. What was it with him and old women? Every time he was alone in a public place, one of them would come and strike up a conversation with him. Usually the discussion centered around their endless number of grandsons and granddaughters or their laundry list of health problems. But this time, this woman wanted to hear _his_ problems and he was tempted by the offer.

"I had a fight with my father." He finally said after a few minutes of silence.

"About your boyfriend? He doesn't approve?" She asked casually.

"No, it's not like that. He wants my boyfriend to assure him that no matter what, we will have a child in the future."

"A family." She said nodding again.

"Yes, a family. I'm an only child and he's…" He took a deep breath. "…He's very ill." He was surprised to realize that was the first time he confessed such a thing to anyone but his family and friends.

"The importance of the family name is a severe problem indeed. What does your boyfriend say about this?"

"I've never… He doesn't know yet."

"Then why do you worry so? You're a fool if you fear the shadow and not the man."

"It's not that simple." Jacks said, trying not to be annoyed with the words of the older woman.

"Young man, believe in the words of an old woman who surely cannot take happiness in your misery. Where there is love, there is the need to make more of it."

"Not _everybody_ wants kids." She smiled at Jack's words and looked at her watch.

"Perhaps my words will make more sense when your heart is ready to hear them. But now, I must go. I have a plane to catch." She stood up and Jack did the same.

"I'm sorry if I bothered you. I'm the worst company. By the way, my name is…"

"No need for that, young man. I already know all that I need to know about you." She said, interrupting him. "Good luck."

Jack stayed there, watching her disappear in the middle of the crowd. She had been so nice to him, almost almighty in her words. And he had to question his own mental health. Was his mind fabricating people now? Was he losing his mind?

"Jack?"

He turned around to face Robert. There he was, looking awful, with his completely unfashionable clothes and his Rambo hair, just as Jack had predicted.

"Are you all right?"

Since Jack truly didn't have an answer, he just nodded and followed Robert outside the airport.

* * *

Ennis was feeling agitated this morning. He kept getting the feeling that they were going to catch something on the cameras today. He was leaving after lunch to clear the path for the spy. The timing was perfect since he had that meeting with the lawyer of St. Bart's College. Everything was screaming _ACTION_!

He was reading the results of the latest interrogations of the witnesses when his phone rang. Mrs. Campbell's voice sounded around the office, filling his ears with her severe tone.

"Mr. Del Mar, Mrs. Noris called to ask you to stop by her office."

"Thank you, Mrs. Campbell. I'll stop by over there soon." He answered, clicking the button.

Ennis looked at his laptop. It was Monday and the work for the week was proceeding well. At least, for now, Mr. Hoz was under control and Ennis could breathe again. But not for long, he suspected.

Without another thought, Ennis moved from his chair to the door. He could go and see Elizabeth right now. It would be much more difficult to do it right before the meeting. He waved at his secretary and avoided looking at Helen's or Frederic's doors.

Elizabeth's office was located on the other side of the corridor. It was as big as Ennis's office, but had a private bathroom with a personal closet that Ennis kept teasing Elizabeth about. The decorations, exactly like every other office in the firm, were very modern; and Elizabeth had a particular request to have fresh flowers in the vases every morning. Actually, due to Elizabeth's work with famous people, the office was empty most of the time and Elizabeth would _take_ her real office with her to every side of the world. That was also one of the reasons why she didn't really have a secretary, but a couple of other lawyers working with her all the time. A few years ago one of those lawyers had been Jack Twist.

"May I?" Ennis asked, looking inside of the office.

His godmother was standing in the middle of the room with a large book in her hands. She had obviously been searching for something in her private library.

"Yes, yes. I though you would come later, but now is as good a time as ever." She said taking the book with her to the secretary.

"Unfortunately, I don't have much time." Ennis said without sitting.

"This should only take a few minutes." She said looking up at him from her seat. "I want to ask you a favor."

"Anything I could do." Ennis asked interested.

"I need you to take care of Sophie tonight. Me and Mary, we're going to celebrate our anniversary. Actually our late anniversary, the one we used to celebrate after the break-up. We wanted to keep that date in the tradition, so we're going to have dinner and then go to the theater." She smiled a little. "I would have left her with Monique, but she's getting old and inpatient and Jack is living with his father right now."

"I'll be happy to have her at my place. I'm sure Jack can spend the night with us too."

"Great. Thanks a lot, Ennis. I'll send Monique and the nanny to pick her up early tomorrow."

"What about my cat? Do you think Neve will be a problem?" Ennis asked, worried.

"Not really. But try to keep him away from her just in case, and ask your maid to vacuum the floor and sofas."

"I'll phone her soon, don't worry."

"I'll also bring anything you may need. You know how to change diapers right?"

"I know the premise, at least."

"I'm sorry to impose this on you Ennis, but I don't feel safe leaving her with an unknown person and this was the only way to convince Mary to come."

"No need to be sorry. I'm actually quite flattered and Jack is going to love the idea, I'm sure."

"You guys have been spending a lot of time together lately." Elizabeth stated.

"Seems to be needed at this time. I know Jack needs his space, but he also needs my support."

"And it's only just beginning, kid." Elizabeth said, making eye contact.

* * *

"Jack?"

"Son?" Enrique said for the millionth time that day. They'd spent all morning in silence, avoiding looking at each other. Enrique felt terrible, but Jack was still furious. They had lunch at home but they might as well have eaten in different places. Jack was somewhere else, far away from his father. And Enrique was afraid he truly couldn't reach him.

"Talk with me." Enrique pleaded, as Jack focused on the final analyses of the firm's financial state for the year 2006.

"Please, Jack. Don't leave."

That made Jack look up at his father. Maybe it was the fact that he was pleading, which was so out of character for the older man.

"I'm still here. Even after all these years." Jack looked out the window. "I've run away so many times… I always end up back here." There was a sad tone to his voice.

"You're not a kid anymore. I know you won't come back this time."

"I'm not leaving, Dad, at least not if you don't force me to." Enrique understood the double meaning of those words and he was forced to admit defeat. At least for now.

Jack moved to the laptop and looked at the screen, avoiding any more verbal confrontations. His hand moved on top of the mouse clicking silently. His eyes blinked as the picture of Ennis's office appeared on his screen.

His boyfriend had sent him a text message, telling him that they were assigned to babysit Sophie at his apartment tonight. And he had been glad. Nothing seemed better than a night at Ennis's apartment, avoiding his father completely. Lately such a thing was becoming a habit.

His eyes focused on the screen again. Someone was entering the room. Jack caught his breath. The figure entered and closed the door. Jack continued to look at the screen, but he still couldn't believe it. As he watched the spy open Ennis's safe, his brain started to work again and his mouth almost screamed.

"Dad! Come look at this." He said and quickly Enrique was at his side, clearly as surprised as he was.

"I can't believe it!" Enrique said, as the spy left Ennis's office with the fake papers that had been carefully planted there.

* * *

**Author: **_I know you probably hate me. But I'll post the next chapter on Wednesday! It's a promise. It's already written and Beta so… Maybe with a lot of nice reviews I'll post it soon! _

_**On the next chapter:**__ Ennis has to take care of Sophie for a night, but the big news are coming and decisions need to be done! Who is the spy? And what more compilations are about to come?_


	32. Prepare to be surprised

_**Author's Note: **__Thank you so very much for my friend _Kathy (**kittie8571**_) who is the Beta of this story! _

Thank you everybody for the reviews! Especially to **grlewis**,**haljbg**,**Joey**,**mia**,**j dodd, WCUGirl, Debra, ann-sue** and **joetheone**.

* * *

**Chapter Thirty Two****: Prepare to be surprised**

If any of Ennis Del Mar's neighbors had decided to pass his door at exactly quarter past five that afternoon, he would have been surprised by the scene he would have found. Ennis was juggling an eight month old baby girl, his briefcase and Sophie's diaper bags. He looked like a typical single father from the movies.

At eight months old, Sophie was like a little detective on an extremely exciting case. The world had an endless number of clues and she was fascinated by it all. Even the trees moving in the wind or a simple piece of paper was enough to call her complete attention. She spent the whole trip in the car systematically looking, listening and touching everything around her small seat.

Mary told Ennis that Sophie had also recently picked up a new obsession. If you wanted to see her laugh, all you had to do was play "peek-a-boo" with her. She wasn't totally coordinated yet, but she found it the funniest thing in the world. One had to laugh just from seeing her laughing. It was contagious.

Another difference that Ennis had noticed since the last time he had spend some quality time with her was that she was doing some serious crawling now and she would struggle to stand up for as long as possible, although her little legs didn't seem to help much in the task.

"Ennis, my boy. Is that you?" The voice of Lucia May, Ennis's maid, came from the kitchen.

"Yeah, I just got home." He shouted back.

Sophie babbled something out loud, as Ennis opened the door and he looked at her, only to find her staring happily at him. Her hand moved to his hair, but Ennis was quick enough to avoid her little fingers. She was still focused on his hair and Ennis smiled. He could almost imagine her saying, in a voice similar to Mary, "_You need to cut your hair_."

"You're right, princess. Uncle Ennis is starting to look like a hobo." He said to the baby, but her attention had moved to the light coming out of the window, or perhaps she was looking at the curtains. Ennis couldn't be sure.

He moved to the living room and placed her in the middle of the carpet. He looked around, checking for any dangerous objects, but it seemed to be all in order, mostly thanks to Lucia. Ennis took some of the toys out of her bag and smiled as he found the small farm he and Jack had given her a few months ago. Sophie immediately started to play with it and the living room was filled with the annoying fake sounds of animals.

"Oh, my God. Isn't she amazing?" Lucia said, as she appeared in the living room. "What's her name?"

"Sophie. She's the daughter of Elizabeth Noris." Ennis realized only after saying it that Sophie wasn't legally Elizabeth's daughter yet. But that didn't make his words less true, he thought.

"Hello, Sophie."

"She's a princess, isn't she?"

"The Noris princess!" She pet Sophie's head, but the baby girl was clearly more interested in her toys. "Are you sure you don't need help, my boy?"

"Yes, but thanks for the offer. We've got plenty to keep her busy and I don't have much more to do today."

"Ok then. I have to go. Your dinner is in the oven and everything is clean. Neve is sleeping in the bedroom and I put your mail in the kitchen near the newspaper."

"Thanks, Lucia." Ennis said smiling. He liked the woman and had no problem showing that, but he somehow seemed to keep her away from his personal life. Their conversations would usually revolve around any other topic.

"Take good care of her, my boy." She said grabbing her coat from the closet and moving toward the door.

"I will. See you tomorrow."

"Right." She said waving at him and Sophie.

Ennis sat on the couch, looking at Sophie and stretching his long legs. Jack would be there soon and he would have to hear him complain about the noise Sophie was making. Not that he didn't want Jack's company, but his boyfriend wasn't the most patient person on the planet. Ennis never criticized him for it though, since he wasn't one to complain, so he usually found humor in Jack's attitude. Although he would never dare to confess that to Jack, for fear that Jack would take that as an incentive to increase his complaining.

Complaints were indeed a problem, but not the ones coming from Jack. The Bartholomew College complaints were likely to cost a lot to Ennis and his client. The meeting with Mr. Wood, right after lunch, hadn't been promising. The college had a strong case and it was clear that Mr. Hoz's son had done his share of destruction and chaos around the place.

Sophie let out another happy scream and threw the little farm with her hands. She was also getting quite good in the _destruction and chaos area_. Ennis smiled at her from the couch but she was too busy looking at her pink baby rattle. A gift from Elizabeth, Ennis was sure. Who else would gave her a rattle with pictures of all the most famous fairy tale princesses and small fake jewels everywhere?

Sophie quickly throw it away too. It didn't make much noise, so she wasn't really interested. Ennis was going to sit down next to her on the carpet when the bell rang. He lazily picked Sophie up from the floor and moved to the door. The bell just keep ringing and ringing. Sophie hadn't been happy about being taken from the carpet, but her protests were silenced when she laid her eyes on Ennis's hair again. Ennis had to wonder if she did the same thing to Elizabeth, since they were both blonds with curly hair.

"Uncle Jack is impatient, my princess. He wants to play too." Ennis told her when they finally reached the door, where the sound of the bell ringing was almost painful.

Ennis opened the door to find Jack and Enrique standing in front of him, both looking somehow desperate and nervous. Actually, it took Ennis almost a full minute to realize that Enrique Twist was standing in front of him; more precisely in front of his door. Enrique was also looking carefully at him, especially to the small girl in his arms.

"I'm taking care of Sophie tonight." Ennis mumbled, feeling the need to explain.

"Del Mar, we have news!" Enrique finally said and entered the apartment, leaving Ennis staring at Jack.

"It's important, Ennis." Jack said nodding.

Ennis was confused for a second but he quickly remembered that this could be news about the spy. Either that or the firm's building was on fire. Anything other than those two things would not have Enrique standing in his apartment right now. It was difficult to concentrate on his thoughts when his boss (and boyfriend's father) was looking around his apartment critically. He was probably thinking that this was where his son had been spending half of his time. For the first time in a long time, Ennis wondered if he should have spent more money on his living facilities.

"So, who is it?" Ennis eagerly asked, interrupting Enrique's inspection.

"First of all, I must confess that I hadn't been expecting this. It's most intriguing." Enrique said carefully.

"Dad, just tell him already." Jack said, anxious to see Ennis's reaction.

"Alright, alright. Ennis, it's Mrs. Campbell. The spy is your secretary."

"What?" Ennis was taken by surprise. Sophie looked at him smiling, obviously unaware of the big confusion around her.

"I couldn't believe it either. But I saw it, Ennis. She opened the safe and took the fake papers!" Jack explained to Ennis.

"This is a _very_ complicated situation." Enrique said softly. "She has easy access to the codes of the safe, and probably overhead more than one conversation. Everything was made very easy for her."

He moved to stand in front of Ennis with his arms open wide.

"May I?" Enrique asked Ennis, taking Sophie into his arms. Clearly, Ennis wasn't in any condition to walk around holding a baby.

"I still can't believe it. Why would she do it?"

"Money? Favors? Who knows?" Enrique uttered softly, playing on the sofa with Sophie.

"Perhaps she had other motives, but that doesn't change the fact that she did it. She betrayed you. Legally she gave away important, confidential information of the firm and now she has to pay the price." Jack said seriously.

"Could it have been blackmail? It's hard for me to believe she would do this without a very good reason." Ennis said.

"I'm going to call Mary and see what information she might give us about Mrs. Campbell's financial status." Jack said, taking his phone from the jacket pocket.

"Whatever happened, Del Mar, we have to confront her with the evidence." Enrique said after Jack went to the kitchen to make the phone call.

"This is extremely complicated." Ennis answered.

"Have you made up your mind? Do we proceed with the next stage of the plan?" Enrique asked as Sophie played with his tie.

"I had an idea a few days ago. We don't need to nab the thieves. We're going to do something much more clever." Ennis smiled. "We leave a little note to Madelyn on the face of the jewel."

"That could work. I can almost imagine her face when she found out." Enrique said nodding.

"What I wasn't expecting was Mrs. Campbell to be the spy. She was picked by Elizabeth, herself."

"Nobody was, Del Mar, but it could have been worse. I can imagine the scandal had it been one of our attorneys."

"Do you intend to keep this quiet? Perhaps the other attorneys at the firm should know."

"I can afford a scandal of secrecy like this. It was a miracle that Mr. Dungeon hasn't yet heard. If we made it public, even now that we caught her, he won't be happy."

"Yes, of course, you're right. I can't seem to think straight anymore." Ennis said shaking his head.

"I have news." Jack said coming from the kitchen.

"So?" Ennis asked anxiously.

"She has no debts to any bank and none of her known accounts has had any big deposits." Jack said and Ennis raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Don't ask me how she found out in the middle of the restaurant. She just did."

"She probably had her laptop with her." Ennis quickly answered.

"That doesn't mean anything. The money could be in an off-shore account or in a fake name." Enrique reminded the two young men.

"Yes, Mary said she would try to check that with more time. She also promised to look at her cell phone bill and e-mail account at the firm. But it's not very likely that we'll found anything more."

"We need to confront her. When is she going to send us the images?" Enrique asked Jack. Sophie made a little scream of happiness as she grabbed Enrique's tie and put it in her mouth.

"She told me her secretary would make a copy in her office and then deliver it by hand tomorrow morning."

"Then we have until tomorrow to plan how we are going to confront Mrs. Campbell." Ennis murmured.

"We also need to give her enough time to deliver the information to Madelyn Webber." Jack reminded them.

"Yes, she's probably putting the papers back into the safe right now. The cameras will record that too. By tomorrow morning, the information will be sent, I suppose."

"We can't be so sure, Del Mar, and if we want to scare Madelyn Webber, we need to be sure that she receives the fake information. I say we wait until Thursday since the supposed transport of the jewel will happen that afternoon. Surely she'll have sent the papers by then." Enrique said to both of them.

"Yes, I agree. We'll confront her that morning." Jack said nodding.

"I think we should be all there." Ennis stated seriously.

"Yes. The situation demands it." Enrique agreed.

"The contract she signed with the firm obliged her to keep secret all affairs related to work, especially the details of any cases. There are legal ramifications for what she did." Jack said thoughtfully.

"Obviously. And if that's not enough, I'm sure I can give her other convincing arguments." Enrique said caressing his face in a way that was disturbingly similar to Jack's. It was still perturbing to Ennis how similar they were sometimes.

"We want her to testify in court against Madelyn Webber. Especially now that we've decided not to use her thieves against her." Ennis explained to Jack.

"Really?"

"Yes, I think Ennis made the right decision. It would have been extremely complicated to use their confessions considering the crime didn't really exist since there isn't concrete proof. The jewel is a fake and even though there would have been _intention_, it would have been complicated…"

"So, this forces us to depend on her confession." Jack whispered in a half question.

"No matter what happens, we have a strong case." Ennis said confidently.

"Yes, but this could give us a chance to end the law suit with a very nice deal."

"A deal?" Ennis asked astonished.

"We can _destroy_ her in court. Not to mention the humiliation for Venderlei Steel! Why would we accept a deal?" Jack asked.

"I had expected this from Ennis, but you son... You should remember what I've been teaching you lately." Enrique said with a small smile.

"Dad, just explain. Oh and by the way, Sophie is chewing on your tie." Jack said superiorly.

"Come on. Come back to Uncle Ennis." The blond lawyer said putting the small baby on his lap again. He was surprised to see Enrique staring oddly at him.

"Dad? We're waiting to hear your big conclusion." Jack said, annoyed.

"Well, I'm afraid a deal is the better option for both parties. Madelyn for obvious reasons; and Ennis because of previous situations."

"Previous situations?" Jack knew that his father was taking great pleasure from their cluelessness, but he couldn't help but be confused.

"Yes. Ennis had made quite a reputation among American celebrities. The Thurston case gave him the fame of being destructive when it came to big secrets and corruption. Although it proved to be beneficial to his career, I'm afraid that another case of public human destruction may scare away potential clients."

"I see." Jack murmured and Ennis was silently surprised.

"It's a case of career management, Del Mar. For the firm, it's the same thing or perhaps even better if you _don't_ make a deal. But you have to think twice when it comes to the consequences on your future work. What kind of work and reputation do you want to have? _That's_ the question you need to ask yourself."

"Thanks." Ennis said, surprised as he understood that Enrique was giving him personal advice and apparently with the best intention.

"You kids are too young. You need to remember that it's never _only_ about the case. Most of the time, it's about everything else. It hurts a little, but it's important if you want to be the best."

"You're completely right." Jack was disappointed that he hadn't remembered such things.

"Don't blame yourself, son. Some things we learn with time, others you have to be born with. And about that, both of you don't need to worry. You have great potential, as long as you keep your eyes and ears on older and wiser lawyers, you're going to be fine."

And Ennis almost dropped Sophie from his lap as he received the professional compliment of a life time from Enrique Twist.

* * *

"You look thoughtful Jack." Robert said after a few minutes of drinking beer.

"I am."

He'd left Ennis taking care of Sophie and driven to drop his father in the company of Uncle Daniel, back at home. Then he drove to Robert's apartment, as he had promised his best friend the day before. He was looking forward to this little visit. He and Robert didn't talk much on Sunday since Jack was totally pissed off at his father and definitely not in the mood for conversation. Unfortunately he wasn't in a very good mood today either. Even the vivacious Foxy, Robert's new dog, wasn't able to make him forget about the fight with his father, Mrs. Campbell's betrayal and the Magnet spring party. His mind was full with current events.

"Your father still?"

"Work."

"God! You're really messed up. Since when do you answer me with one word phrases?"

"I don't know. Things have never been like this before either."

"How bad?" Robert asked after another taste of his beer. It was a Guinness; the only brand he ever drank.

"We're juggling between a possible scandal at the firm and the most important event of the year in the Magnet firm. I have to admit, I've never thought that taking my father's position would be so hard."

"You used to say the same thing about your first year in Brown." Robert remembered. "You were so pissed off with everything you were forced to do because of your family traditions."

"I wanted to play soccer, but because dad and my grandfather had been amazing polo players, I never get to play it! Of course I _sucked_ at polo, although I really liked to ride the horses." Jack said, enjoying the memories.

"And your father forced you to be a member of the library volunteers! How much you hated that thing."

"I'll never forget the amazing _nerds_ I met at those meetings." Jack said shaking his head with a smile.

"You hated it all, but yet, in the end, you admitted that it was a good experience; that you would never have had if it wasn't for your father's guidance."

"Yeah."

"This is going to be the same thing. You'll find the importance of these situations with time. You'll see."

"You're right, but I didn't come to talk about me. How's everything going?"

"Better than expected. The place I told you about is from a German guy who wants to get rid of the place. The price he's asking is more than acceptable."

"You always were a lucky son of a…"

"Careful there, little boy." Robert said playfully.

"Little? Your sources had failed you once again, my friend."

"Welcome back, Jack Twist! Where have you been? I've been spending the last half an hour with your boring twin."

"I still don't know why I keep you around."

"Because you love me, in a completely not sexual way." Robert said raising his beer.

"You are right. But tell me, aren't you going to miss your cozy life in Europe?"

"Of course, living among the barbarians is always difficult, but I've managed it before."

"It's been a while. We're a lot worse now."

"My stamps neighbor promised to write me a lot of letters, so I'll keep up with the news on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. Hopefully that will help me keep up my sanity."

"Oh, the joy of the European ways."

"You have no idea." Robert said laughing.

"So tell me; how much longer till you open the doors of the gallery?"

"I think a month, perhaps less. The school will take a little more time. I'm still searching for good teachers."

"A photography school with no name; that sound a bit risky." Jack confessed.

"It is, but I'm willing to take the risk. I've been saving money all my life for this, I'm not going to give up now."

"Considering how you've dressed yourself all your life, you probably saved enough money to open _three_ schools." Jack said jokingly.

"I like my style, thank you very much."

"What style?" Jack said laughing and Robert rolled his eyes as an answer.

* * *

The surrounding sound was almost magical; like the background noise of a beautiful green forest. But not just any forest. He was sure this forest was filled with magical creatures. He had to smile at the childish mental picture. And if music can materialize in your mind, he was sure this one was making him see a shy rabbit in a green forest. He knew psychiatrists used this exercise to analyze a person's fears and dreams, and he was left wondering what they would say to rabbits and forests, not to mention magical creatures.

He could clearly see the rabbit looking at him from behind his green bush. At every little sequence of piano notes, small fairies would fly around him. It was like in one of those Barbie movies that he'd seen commercials for. And if the experience wasn't so relaxing, he would have opened his eyes and laughed at loud.

The music changed and it was now making the whole room vibrate with its energy. The violins were turning the forest into a ball room. Perhaps the creatures were moving in that direction too. And there was an urge to dance in circles around the room, waltzing with an invisible partner. He always felt it, every single time he listened to the music, even when he was working at the office. Perhaps other people would feel it too. But he had to confess, he just loved Tchaikovsky and it was all due to Veronica. From all the different music in the CD she had given him, he couldn't stop listening to _Flower Waltz from "The Nutcracker"_. It was driving him crazy.

He didn't know a thing about classical music. He never understood why people loved to know the fancy names of their favorite music or the whole past about their favorite composers, but he understood now why most people find it relaxing to meditate or relax to the sound of classical music. Even he could see that classical music has a different intensity, with sounds that could easily play with the listener's emotions. The listener only had to give it a try.

Ennis sighed and moved his hands so that they were resting behind his head. It was a nice way to end the day. He would probably fall asleep on the couch, but that didn't seem to bother him much. He found the mattress to be too soft these days, especially compared with the old bed he used to have back at the ranch. So, if he didn't have company, the couch would do just fine.

He was supposed to have company today though. Jack had left with his father, talking about stopping by Robert's apartment and promised to stop by after dinner. But Ennis wasn't worried. Jack had probably forgotten the time while with Robert or had to attend to unexpected business at the firm. Sooner or later, Ennis's cell phone would beep with the familiar sound of a text message.

Because Ennis knew that he may not be the perfect boyfriend, but he was a considerate one. He understood Jack's situation and family problems and took no offense on being temporarily forgotten. Actually, he had been extremely surprised at how much time they had managed to spend together lately. Especially considering that Jack and him had been drowning with work. He also was used to spending time alone. He liked the silence and the lazy routine that one could have while spending time alone in his house, surrounded by his personal belongings. It wasn't the most common thing in the world, but the people he loved understood him.

He had almost fallen asleep when the bell rang. Ennis almost jumped from the couch and was even more surprised to realize that the music wasn't playing anymore. He moved to the door, almost tripping on Neve, who was curled up, asleep on the floor.

"Jack?" Ennis asked, surprised to see his boyfriend at the other side of the door.

"You thought I wouldn't show?"

"Sorry, I just thought you would head home and send me a message."

"No. I've been thinking about Mrs. Campbell all day and I needed to speak with you." Jack said moving to the living room.

"Jack, this is my problem. You have enough on your mind. You shouldn't have to spend time thinking about my cases." Ennis said closing the door.

"Yes, I know, but I had this idea …"

"Come on in. Sit. Let me get you a nightcap."

"Forget about that. I've already had too much beer at Robert's apartment."

"Relax, baby. We'll make it through, no matter what happens." Ennis said sitting on the couch near his boyfriend.

"Yes, I know. But I just remembered something. What about your maid? Isn't she Mrs. Campbell's cousin?"

"Oh my gosh! I completely forgot! Yes! Yes she is. Do you think she might be involved?" Ennis asked worriedly, his eyes widening with surprise.

"Obviously there's that possibility. We should investigate her too. I need to send her full name to Mary as soon as possible." Jack had picked up Neve and placed him on his lap.

"It's Lucia May. But I would be shocked if she is remotely involved in this. She probably doesn't know a thing about my cases."

"Well, at any rate, it's a good thing we're thinking about this now." Jack said defensively. He was aware of how much Ennis liked Lucia.

"Yeah. Thank God you remembered, I would have never thought." Ennis said caressing Jack's shoulder with his index finger.

"We're a team, remember?" Jack said as he pecked a kiss on Ennis's mouth. "By the way, where's Sophie?"

"Elizabeth and Mary stopped by and took her home. I guess your little call ruined the romantic mood."

"Really? I bet Elizabeth is going to blame me for that."

"I hope not, because she wasn't looking too happy." Ennis said smiling.

"I hope they didn't fight about it. It was their anniversary."

"They'll figure it out, don't worry. After all, they're engaged, and it's natural to have little spats."

"Elizabeth told me that the wedding is supposed to be one or two months away. They still haven't set a date yet."

"You know what they say about long engagements…" Ennis said leaning against the couch and closing his eyes. He was visibly tired.

"Yeah. And what about Mr. Santos?"

"It's going to be close date wise. I still don't know if we'll manage to go and I already have told him that."

"You did well. Still we have to worry about the wedding gift."

"What do you give a man like him?"

"An antique or something that will reveal incredible good taste." Jack said casually.

"And to Elizabeth and Mary?" Ennis asked curiously.

"Something personal and possibly related to a hobby or a specific taste."

"You mean, something that shows that you care?"

"Also, yeah."

"You're incredible, baby. Is there anything that you have no answer or personal opinion for?"

"Is that a compliment?" Jack asked amused.

"Certainly! I find it fascinating. Most people need to be careful with what they say, so that they don't make a complete fool of themselves. You don't need to."

"You're sleepy and talking nonsense." Jack said laughing.

"No, I'm not. It's the truth."

"Yeah, yeah." Jack said shaking his head. "I'm going. I promised my dad I would sleep at home tonight."

"Ok, drive safe." Ennis said kissing him sweetly. "Thanks for coming."

"Bye, honey."

Ennis looked at the door closing and made no move to the bedroom. Neve jumped from the floor and came to rest his head on his belly and Ennis caressed it, slowly. Soon sleep came to him and he found himself chasing rabbits in a beautiful green forest in his dreams.

* * *

**Author:**_Just as it had been promised here it is another chapter! And what about the spy? Can't wait to know your opinions! The story will definitely end at chapter 35, which is already written. There will be a sequel, which I'm already writing but it may took me a while to start posting. I don't want you to wait two or three weeks for an update and since I'm starting university and I have more 20 subject to pass, including 3 subjects of anatomy… You can understand the picture! I'll tell you more on the next chapters. _

_**On the next chapter:**__ Why is Frederic acting so friendly? Why, did Mrs. Campbell sold information to Madelyn Webber? All the answers on the next chapter… Also Jack and Elizabeth work on the ultimate details for the coming Magnet Spring Party._


	33. Mrs Campbell

_**Author's Note: **__Thank you so very much for my friend _Kathy (**kittie8571**_) who is the Beta of this story! _

Thank you everybody for the reviews! Especially to Jada91, **janice dodd, WCUGirl, Debra, ana **and**joetheone**.

* * *

**Chapter Thirty Three****: Mrs. Campbell**

If you went to a book and searched for the word _lawyer_, you would quickly find that it is used to describe the few people for whom it is possible to give law advice. Honestly, who would expect that such a small capacity would give such troubles? It sounds really simple in definition, but like most things, it's actually quite complicated in real life.

Ennis had always felt that such a definition was unworthy of such a great profession, and not just because it was _his_ profession. Although that might have eventually helped him to form his opinion.

No, Ennis felt that the variety of situations with which lawyers worked weren't fully explained in that simple definition.

It was a small offense to all the complications every single lawyer went through during his career. Serious complications, indeed.

Not only serious, these complications were mostly unexpected and seemed to always be different from the previous ones. And if some lawyers found ways to avoid them with time, Ennis seemed to attract them more and more through the years. His personality and taste as an attorney usually attracted him to the most complicated and incredible cases. It was concurrently both a gift and a curse, and definitely _wasn't_ a superpower.

So, when once again, he found himself in thr middle of a complicated situation and an unexpected turn of events, he wasn't all that surprised. His boyfriend, who was still not used to these things, had been surprised, but not him. He had once again chalked it up to faith or, what some people call it nowadays, karma.

But if he hadn't been surprised with his case, he surely was with the current situation.

"So what do you say, Ennis?" Frederic's voice woke him from his daydream.

"Let me see if I understood you correctly. You want _me_ to help _you_ talk with your client?" Ennis raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Yes, I believe I was perfectly clear."

"Frederic, what do you want?" Ennis asked, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"Your help." The other attorney said seriously.

"You want me to believe that you, who obviously hates me, is now all of the sudden in need of my help for such easy tasks?"

"Oh, Ennis, _hate_ is such a strong word."

"Of course, what was I thinking? Let's be friends!" Ennis said with sarcasm.

"Why not?"

"Yes, that's why you sent Helen with codes for me to revise your already perfect final allegation. Do you take pleasure in trying to make me waste my time?" Ennis said a bit louder. They were in front of his office, mere inches from Mrs. Campbell, and the whole situation was making him nervous. This wasn't the day to have an argument with Frederic Dawson.

"Of course not, Ennis. Nothing I could possibly do to you would give me any pleasure." Frederic said, finally losing his poise, although his words had been a mere whisper.

"So what is this stupid charade about then? You want me to lose my temper and punch you in the face in middle of the firm? You have to do much more than be an annoying gnat for that to happen." Ennis tried to keep his voice low.

"You're not even close to understanding, are you?" There was a small smile on his lips.

"You're crazy, Frederic. A few more minutes of this little performance and you may end up with my pity too."

"You want to know what I want from you? I'll tell you, Ennis. I want to know what is it that you have that I obviously don't." Frederic smiled was bigger, now that he was taking pleasure in Ennis's confusion. "It's the first time I lost something I wanted to someone else. I want to know why that happened and I'll do absolutely everything to get an answer, even being your best friend for a month or two."

"You're not crazy, you're sick. Wake up to reality, Frederic. Someone is always losing something to someone else. Jut grow up already." Ennis said shaking his head.

"You'll see Ennis. I'll discover your secret. You're just making it worse for yourself."

"Sure, Frederic." Ennis whispered, shaking his head again and moving to his office, leaving the other attorney furiously looking after at him.

As he avoided any eye contact with his secretary, he was left wondering how he had ever felt jealously of Frederic Dawson. Clearly the man was crazy.

* * *

Elizabeth and Jack were discussing the last details of the Magnet Spring Party. The famous party, which Jack used to eagerly await, was now driving him completely crazy. Every single detail, from the ice sculptures to the centerpieces made of Holland tulips, had been chosen by him and Elizabeth. And he couldn't even stand to hear another Chinese name, famous for his flower decorations or for expensive fish plates.

Thankfully, the party was due to happen this Sunday. And even though Jack was nervous about it, he couldn't wait for it to be over and done with. One thing was sure -- he would never look at a personal assistant the same way. He had never imagined how much work they do to organize this type of party.

"The mayor hasn't yet confirmed his attendance." Elizabeth said pointing her shiny black pen to him. "And you know what that means…"

"It means that I will probably have to beg him to come, even though personally, I despise the man."

"You know very well that political preferences have nothing to do with your obligations to the firm." Elizabeth said writing in her small red notebook.

"Hmm." Jack answered, making a note to call the mayor soon.

"And your father won't help you with this one. He wants to see how well you do on your own." She raised her eyes from the notebook. "Don't make him even more desperate, kid."

"The members of the board aren't that worried about my capacities." Jack said with a smile.

Elizabeth's eyes shone with surprised. She knew what Jack was trying to say to her.

"Are you not curious?" He asked seriously.

"Can we not talk about it? I know you know who the next member is going to be, but you can't tell me. So let's move to another topic."

"I admire you. I would be on my knees begging by now if I were you." Jack said with a smile.

"The Chelsea Garden Center is responsible for the small plants around the grounds. They have confirmed it all will be ready for Sunday." Elizabeth stated primly, avoiding any more comments from Jack.

"I'm tired of this. Is there anyone or anything that hasn't confirmed yet, with the exception of the mayor?" Jack asked rubbing his eyes. If he kept working like this, he would soon need glasses.

"Not worthy of mentioning, no." Elizabeth said closing the notebook.

"Great, then it's almost ready." Jack said sighing.

"Yes, and I will soon be able to go back to some more serious work. Some of my clients haven't been very happy lately, with my constant lack of time."

"Speaking of unhappy… are you still mad at Mary?"

"Yes." Elizabeth said, her lips forming a thin line.

"You know it was my fault." Jack said softly.

"It was our anniversary. The investigation could have waited until the next day. Imagine my face when she took out her laptop, opened it up and started working, right there in the middle of the restaurant." Elizabeth glared at him, obviously remembering the moment.

Jack gave her an apologetic look, but Elizabeth was still upset about the situation.

"There were musicians playing Beethoven and we were drinking champagne! I hate it when people ruin perfect moments with _work_!" Elizabeth said annoyed.

"I've told you before, Beth. It was a very important investigation. I needed the information as soon as possible."

"Yeah, yeah. Ennis told me the same thing,. but I want Mary to think about what she's done."

"She's used to being alone. It's natural that these things happen. She forgets how important these things are to you. Haven't you spoken with her since?"

"No. I've been avoiding her calls. She's probably going to knock down my door sooner or later."

"What about Sophie? You haven't seen her either?"

"Of course I have. When Mary is working, she stays with Monique back at home. It's been like this since Mary returned."

"So this means your fight is only temporary?" Jack asked with caution.

"This ends when Mary decides to apologize for being so tactless about her fiancée's feelings."

"She's different from you, Beth. You can't expect that to change over night."

"Yeah, but she can't expect _me_ to change either. She should know by now that some things are very important to me."

"You're both so stubborn, this stupid fight is going to last till Christmas!" Jack said shaking his head.

"I hope not. We have a wedding to attend."

"And what a wedding it will be." Jack said laughing and Elizabeth was forced to smile.

* * *

Ennis heard the familiar sound of his secretary calling him from the other side of the phone. His black phone, on the upper right corner of his desk, had a small red light flashing. He involuntarily tensed with the sight.

Since they'd found out that Mrs. Campbell was the one selling Mr. Dungeon's information, being around his secretary had been agony. He wanted nothing more than to confront her and so, to avoid that temptation, he had spent the rest of the week working exclusively for Mr. Hoz, who seemed to have more and more need for his help every single day . . . because of the scandalous photos that were going to appear in magazines . . . or the new contract for publicity he had to signed . . . or because his wife had threatened him with divorce for the third time that day . . . It was a never ending litany of possibilities when it came to his new, exclusive client. And they say that being a lawyer to famous singers was hell! Surely Mr. Hoz enjoyed throwing in his contribution too.

"Yes, Mrs. Campbell?" Ennis asked after clicking the button.

"The papers you asked for have just arrived. They were brought by the new lawyer. I'm not sure of his name…"

"Don't worry, Mrs. Campbell. I know who he is. Anything else?"

"Yes. We're still receiving hate mail. The girls working for me haven't found anything interesting yet." Ennis was left to wonder if they had ever searched correctly for it; but the suspicions were about to end.

"Don't worry. I wasn't expecting news from those letters. It was a mere precaution."

"Very well then, Mr. Del Mar."

Ennis was about to end the communication when Mrs. Campbell spoke again.

"Oh, Mr. Jack Twist has just arrived. Just thought I should let you know."

"Thanks, Mrs. Campbell." Ennis replied and after a few more seconds, the door opened and Jack entered.

"Good morning, honey. How are you feeling?" Jack said, walking over to Ennis's desk to kiss him, stroking his arms lightly.

"Nervous. I have no idea how this is going to end."

"No one does, not even my dad." Jack said with a kiss on Ennis's forehead.

"I still think Lucia is not involved in this."

"So far, Mary's investigations have confirmed your suspicions. There was almost no money in her accounts and she lives in a small, comfy house in the middle of nowhere. Actually, she's lived alone since her husband died. Mrs. Campbell is the closest relative she has. Her adult daughters and the rest of the family live in another state, which one exactly I can't remember. She's still living here due to the lack of any other job opportunity and even this one was thanks to her cousin."

"I know you'd like to review our discoveries, but could you please stop speaking about Lucia like that? I feel bad for having found all that out from someone other than her."

"I'm sorry, but we had no other choice! And you know that it's still a strong possibility."

"I know. You've told me a million times before." Ennis said sighing.

"Are you ready? We need to call my dad and confront this woman as soon as possible. We already had to wait till Madelyn bought into our scheme, which, by the way, Mary has just confirmed a minute ago."

"I know we do, I'm just worried about the consequences. What if she denies any involvement from Lucia?"

"I think you should talk to Lucia then and make your own conclusions. But everything is pointing to her innocence."

"I can't believe I might have been surrounded by Madelyn Webber's spies."

"Everyone warned you that she had no moral limits. I guess she just took a liking to you." Jack said, moving so that he was massaging Ennis's shoulders.

"And what are you doing? I should be the one asking how everything is. I'm sure the party planning is killing you." Ennis said kissing one of Jack's hands.

"Everything is fine. Elizabeth has helped me a lot and now all I have to do is pray for no natural disasters to happen."

"Everything is going to be fine, you'll see." Ennis said, closing his eyes and enjoying the massage.

"I hope you're right. Elizabeth and I spent hours planning everything."

"How is she? I haven't seen her since Monday night."

"She's still furious with Mary, but I don't think it will last much longer."

"Jack? Would you be mad at me if I ran away in the middle of dinner to help Mr. Hoz? Because it's bound to happen."

"No, I guess. I'm used to seeing my dad disappear at the oddest times to work. And I'm sure that eventually, it will happen to you too. We can always go together, I guess that's the difference."

"I'll remember this conversation soon."

"I really hope Mr. Hoz is paying a ridiculous amount of money for your time."

"Don't worry! He is!" Ennis replied, jokingly.

"Good, now let's make some more. I'm calling my dad right now." Jack said taking out his cell phone.

"Ok. I'm getting the film images ready."

"I just had this mental picture of Mrs. Campbell running away the moment she figures out what we're up to." Jack said after ending his quick conversation with his father.

"That's definitely _not_ going to happen. She can't run away from this, especially not from my dad. He's furious about the implications of having employees selling the firm's secrets."

"Out of all the attorneys working in this firm, why did this have to happen to me?"

Jack laughed and the door opened to reveal Enrique Twist. Ennis quietly observed him. Since the night of Enrique's birthday party, he hadn't had a chance to properly look at the older man. Enrique look a little slimmer and his skin looked paler. He looked better now, but the illness was beginning to show and Ennis had to wonder how much longer he would be able to see him working at the firm. He knew that Enrique was still working, against his doctor's recommendations, but there was a limit to that. His body would only take him so far.

"Everything's ready Del Mar?" Enrique asked in a serious tone.

"Yes. I say we ask her to come in."

"Do you think she suspects anything?"

"No. I would be extremely surprised if she does."

"Ok, call her in." Enrique said, sitting down next to Ennis.

"Mrs. Campbell, could you come in for a minute?" Ennis asked into his phone.

"Right away, Mr. Del Mar."

The three men shared glances and Ennis fought the urge to sigh. He naturally didn't trust people and this situation wasn't helping to change that. Actually, this was becoming more and more like a new version of Uncle Jeremiah's childhood episode, only – thank god – less personal. It was all still uncomfortable to deal with.

"How may I help you, Mr. Del Mar?" Mrs. Campbell asked entering the room.

"Mrs. Campbell, could you please take a seat?" Ennis asked calmly and the older woman's eyebrows went up a bit in surprise.

"Do you know why you're here, Mrs. Campbell?" Enrique asked her, taking the lead of the interrogation.

"I have no idea." She said in a firm tone, but there was something that told Ennis that she was lying.

"Sure you do, Mrs. Campbell. You've been caught." Enrique said with a smile.

And for the first time since Ennis had met the older man, he felt fear. His eyes were showing a determination and an anger that could destroy continents. He had seen it before, in a pair of eyes as blue as Enrique's. He'd seen it in Jack's eyes the day they fought over the night in Madrid.

"You still have a chance to explain everything, Mrs. Campbell." Ennis said calmly. He knew he was the "good cop" in this interrogation.

"I still don't know what this is all about, Mr. Del Mar."

"You don't? Let me refresh your memory." Enrique waived at Jack and he moved the monitor, so that she could see herself entering Ennis's office and stealing the papers.

"How…" The older women mumbled, in shock, still looking at the monitor.

"We also have images of you replacing the papers in the safe. There's no need to deny it, Mrs. Campbell." Enrique said slowly. "You have been caught."

"You've violated one of the most important rules in this firm. Surely you are aware of the consequences. But what _really_ matters to us is,_ why?_" Jack asked, speaking for the first time.

"I'll go grab my things…" She said, standing up from her chair.

"Remain in your chair, Mrs. Campbell." Enrique demanded in a loud tone. "Let me tell you, if you walk away right now, I'll make sure you never work again as a secretary the rest of your life, and if that's not enough, I promise you that I'll follow you into the darkness of hell if I have to, but you will _not_ enjoy the money Madelyn has given you in peace."

"I…" She said trembling.

"Mrs. Campbell,let's do this the easy way. Please answer Mr. Twist's questions. We don't want to involve the police in our private business, but if you give us no other choice…" Ennis said observing her reaction.

"She… she called me a few days before Mr. Del Mar took the case." She began looking around nervously, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "At first I didn't want to accept the money. I'm not rich but I have enough money to live comfortably and I really like my job. But then she promised to find me better employment for me and my niece, Lucia. We'd been thinking about moving back to Pennsylvania for a long time now. This was our big chance."

"She promised you work there?" Ennis asked surprised.

"Yes. She would help us move there if I gave her a few specific papers from Mr. Del Mar's safe at the office." She whispered to the three men.

"Just that?" Jack asked shocked.

"I had no idea if the papers were that important, until I heard Mr. Dungeon talk to you about it. But by then, it was already done." She was crying by now and the younger lawyers were speechless.

"Mrs. Campbell, that's all well and good, but why did you do it again? If all you wanted was a job in Pennsylvania? You think I can't find that money?"

"No, Mr. Twist, it's the truth. I wanted to move to Pennsylvania as soon as possible, but Miss Webber told me that the papers I had given her weren't enough. She needed for me to do it one last time."

"So you said yes? What were you thinking? Surely, you must have known the consequences of getting caught." Ennis said, finally finding his words.

"I never thought someone would catch me. It's not unusual for me to be alone in Mr. Del Mar's office and I knew he would never miss the papers I took. I never expected the cameras."

"For your information, the cameras were installed after the first time you sent the papers to Madelyn Webber." Enrique revealed to her.

"Mrs. Campbell, do you have any idea of how much our client lost because of you? We're talking about thousands of dollars." Ennis said to her.

"Millions if we consider the result of the last set of papers, hadn't precautions been made." Ennis understood Enrique's intention, he wanted her to believe that even the last papers were authentic. She didn't need to know they had tricked Madelyn Webber.

"I wasn't aware, Mr. Twist. I always took my job seriously and never indented to harm Mr. Del Mar, but she promised me my long time dream. I wasn't thinking straight." Mrs. Campbell started to sob strongly and Ennis's heart broke. He had a soft spot for long time dreams.

"Mrs. Campbell, you know the consequences, don't you? You're in risk of losing your job and your reputation as a secretary." Jack said, noticing Ennis's expression.

"Yes, I'm well aware."

"And it can be much worse if you don't do _exactly_ as we say." Enrique put a piece of paper in front of her and took a pen out of his jacket pocket. "You're going to sign this confession, in which you say that Madelyn Webber has paid you to steal documents from the firm and that you did so in order to catch her for us."

"In case this little confession isn't enough to make Madelyn Webber sign our million dollar deal for Mr. Thurston, you will testify against her in court and deal with the consequences of making _this_ public." Jack explained to her.

"You'll do as we say, Mrs. Campbell, because jail may seem the better alternative compared with what this firm can do to you for this type of betrayal."

"I'll do it." Mrs. Campbell whispered immediately when Enrique finished talking. She was still shaking a little but managed to sign the paper.

"Very well, Mrs. Campbell. This must remain a complete secret. And don't fool yourself, we have constant vigilance on you. You'll go nowhere till this is over." Enrique said, taking the written confession from her.

"If everything goes as planned, your future will be decided immediately after the end of the Dungeon's case." Jack explained to Mrs. Campbell, who looked almost relieved by now.

"We're not cruel. But you just crossed a very important line in this firm. I hope we don't have to make an example out of you." Enrique said leaving the room with the signed paper. Obviously he intended to send it as soon as possible to Venderlei Steel.

"Mrs. Campbell? What do you have to tell me about your niece?" Ennis asked.

"Mr. Del Mar, please don't fire her! She didn't know, I never told her a thing, I swear. It's the truth!" Her eyes were shining again, she must have forgotten about Lucia for a moment.

"How can I be sure that's the truth? Your word has no value now."

"What would I have needed her for, Mr. Del Mar? She didn't need to know and she would never have let me do it if she knew. Surely you know her enough to know that…"

"I'll talk to her soon about it. And for her own good, I hope you're telling me the truth." Ennis said, sounding angry for the very first time.

"I am. I swear, Mr. Del Mar." Mrs. Campbell looked as if she was about to cry once again.

"That's enough, Mrs. Campbell. You may leave now. You're taking a _little vacation_ until this is resolved." Jack said looking the older woman in the eye.

"Do you understand Mrs. Campbell? We will be watching you closely, so you better do as planned."

"I will Mr. Twist." She stood up from her chair and moved closer to the door.

Ennis observed her closely. He wanted desperately to believe in everything she had said. He wanted to believe that she had done it for the sole purpose of fulfilling a life time dream, blinded by the possibilities Madelyn Webber had offered her. He wanted to believe that she never intended to harm his job or the firm. He wanted her to have a second chance. And deep inside, he feared it was all a reaction to the Uncle Jeremiah's story.

"Mr. Del Mar? I'm sorry." She whispered, looking at him and disappearing through the door. Ennis was left even more confused.

"She's playing you, honey." Jack said after the door as closed.

"I don't know." Ennis admitted honestly.

"Be careful." Jack said looking at the repeating images of Mrs. Campbell stealing the papers of the safe.

"Do you think she'll try to contact Madelyn Webber?"

"I don't know. Mary has her home phone and cell phone under vigilance. She'll cut the line in case she tries."

"Seriously, is there something that Mary can't do?" Ennis asked amazed.

"She doesn't do it alone, honey. Half of the work is connections. FBI, CIA, senators, mayors, sheriffs, doctors… Mary knows the most important ones of them all."

"You know what I can't stop thinking about?"

"What?"

"The look on Madelyn's Webber face as she opens the box, expecting to see the jewel, and instead finds a note written by me. _We know what you've done._ Signed, Ennis Del Mar."

"I told you. Mary said to me before we confront Mrs. Campbell that the truck had been robbed. She's probably looking at your note right now." Jack said smiling.

"Another 10 minutes and she'll receive Mrs. Campbell signed confession." Ennis shook his head. "We'll probably kill her."

"I hope not since she has a few million dollars to pay to Mr. Dungeon."

"How long do you think it will take for them to sign our deal?"

"By tomorrow, this thing is done. God I would love if every case would be like this. I had a blast!"

"God forbid! I wouldn't last till retirement."

Jack and Ennis laughed a little, as the memories of the last week came to both their minds. And just as Jack was remembering the night they had dinner with his father, Ennis spoke.

"I'm not so sure I want to fire Mrs. Campbell." Ennis said seriously.

"Ennis! Let's wait till we are certain of what we know is true."

"But your father won't give me a chance, will he? It's his decision, I think."

"He's well known to be reasonable. I believe he'll do the right thing."

"You're probably right."

"About your maid, that's your decision." Jack said leaning against Ennis desk. "And about Mrs. Campbell… If what she said is true, I may help you with my dad. I'll be the new boss by Sunday, so…"

"Yeah, you will be." Ennis said.

"Have you seriously thought about it? You're going to be dating the big boss!" Jack seemed to find the idea hilarious and Ennis rolled his eyes. He was used to hearing jokes about their relationship from the other attorneys. Most of them were harmless.

"Well, I heard he's a very handsome man, so I'm not worried."

Jack felt the blush on his cheeks and did the only thing he could to hide it. He leaned and kissed Ennis forcefully. It wasn't common for Ennis to give him a lot of compliments, especially about his looks. But if many found such a thing a fault from his loved one, Jack found that by doing so, Ennis always made him feel amazing every time he spontaneously complimented him. Exactly like right now.

After a moment, he moved from the desk to Ennis's lap, keeping their lips connected. His mind seemed to scream in happiness as the scenario of one of his private fantasies was getting more real. He couldn't help it, it was a long time fantasy. Actually it was a set of multiple fantasies. There was the chair, the desk, the nice sofa…

"Jack, I don't think so, baby." Jack sighed and Ennis moved his lips to form the silent word _rules_.

"It doesn't matter, Ennis. Sooner or later, we're going to do it. It's bound to happen." Jack said, pretending to be annoyed, as he stood up from Ennis's lap and rearranged his clothes.

"Yes, yes, baby. Let's just stop by your dad's office and tell him we're going to have dinner at some fancy place, which you'll choose, and then watch a movie or a game at my house."

"Ok." Jack said resigned, still thinking about his fantasy.

Ennis sighed, seeing Jack's crestfallen expression. "You know what? Maybe I can make an exception for the boss man." Ennis said with a smile when they left the room.

And Jack knew that he had been right all along. It was bound to happen!

* * *

**Author:**_ I'm extremely sorry for this month with no updates. As I had said this part of the story is already written and had already be seen by my beta. But I had a difficult first month this semester. Hopefully I'll start posting every Thursday. The sequel will take a little more time to start posting but I simply don't want to give up on this story. Hopefully everything will turn out to be ok. Thank you and I'm sorry once again. _

_**On the next chapter:**__ The Magnet Spring party in all his glory. Is Enrique going to confront Ennis? Is Elizabeth going to be the next member of the board? And what about Jack? Is he ready to be the new boss?_


	34. Magnet Spring Party

_**Author's Note: **__Thank you so very much for my friend _Kathy (**kittie8571**_) who is the Beta of this story! _

Thank you everybody for the reviews! Especially to **janice dodd, WCUGirl, sweetjg, fetix, coldprin** and **joetheone**.

* * *

**Chapter Thirty Four****: Magnet Spring Party**

"Do you remember the first time you played chess with me?" Uncle Daniel asked happily.

"Yes, I do."

They were in the large living room at the Twist mansion. It was Sunday afternoon and Jack and Uncle Daniel were playing chess. The Four Seasons of Vivaldi was playing softly and Matilda had served them all freshly squeezed lemonade. Jack knew this was part of Uncle Daniel's plan to help him relax before the big event tomorrow night. Uncle Daniel was always the diplomat between them; the one who tried to make things better for everyone. Every time Jack and Enrique had a fight, he was the one clamoring for peace and every time one of them was sick or worried, he was always there to give his support. He had been a wonderful friend To Enrique over the years and a good influence in Jack's life. He still was.

"You were so excited." Uncle Daniel said running his fingers through his red hair.

"It was a big deal back then. You and Dad keep playing all the time and I never got to because I didn't know how to play. You kept saying I wasn't old enough to start playing." Jack said observing his right knight.

He and Uncle Daniel never played with timers. They liked to play with no pressure. Sometimes, they even discussed their moves before doing them, which obviously ruined the purpose of the game, but since Uncle Daniel was a far better player, it gave Jack a chance to play and enjoy the game without losing every single time. They even developed the strange habit of taking note of the positions of the pieces, in case they didn't have time to finish the game, so that they could continue to play another time.

"It was the day after your fifth birthday. I'd promised you that I would teach you and you were so excited. The world was a perfect place because I was going to teach you how to play chess." Uncle Daniel said happily.

"I was a crazy kid." Jack said remembering his actions at that age.

"You were so energetic and full of life, not to mention brilliant. You spent the rest of the week playing like a maniac. You even taught Matilda how to play and Edward was forced to play an endless number of games with you."

"I still play with Edward from time to time." Jack said, finally making his tower move a few squares to the right.

"I can't believe it was 25 years ago." Uncle Daniel said frowning at the game.

"I remember one silly thing you taught me that day. _The dress matches the shoes. _White queen, white square."

"Oh, yes. The position of the queen in the set…"

"I also remember the chess set you gave me with soldiers. It was an amazing thing, at that time. I think I still have it in my old toy room."

"That room used to be your place to hide from the world. Every time you were mad at one of the grown-ups, you would run to that room and spend hours badmouthing us to your toys. That's when I realized you were going to be a magnificent lawyer." Uncle Daniel smiled and moved his knight into a new position.

"I was just a spoiled kid. That room is just the sign of that. Nowadays every time I pass by that room I have to wonder why Dad gave me all those toys. It was a waste of money."

"I think you've been spending too much time with Ennis Del Mar."

"Is that a good thing?" Jack asked moving his queen this time.

"I believe so." Uncle Daniel smiled again and moved his bishop. "Check."

"Uncle Dan, come on! That was mean." Jack said looking at the game.

"Not mean . . . clever." Uncle Daniel chuckled, drinking a bit of his lemonade and enjoying Vivaldi's music, his favorite.

"Uncle Dan, do you think I'm spoiled?" Jack asked after moving his king to a safe position.

"Seriously?" Uncle Daniel asked looking at him and Jack nodded. "You're Enrique's only son and considering the fact that you lost your mother when you very young, it was natural for him to make sure that you didn't miss anything else that you want. Your father dedicated his entire personal life to you."

The redhead took another sip of his lemonade and continued. "Yes, you're spoiled, but you always knew how to share everything he gave you. And you still know. I believe that if it hadn't been for Elizabeth, you would probably be working for the D.A.'s office right now. You like to help other people and that gives you pleasure. And now, you're staying because of your father. You may have been spoiled growing up, but you're certainly not selfish, Jack."

"Thanks, Uncle Dan. But I fear for the future of the firm. I'm afraid I'm not ready to take on such a responsibility."

"Let me tell you something, Jack. You never will be. It's a life time job and you'll learn with time. Enrique's taught you the basics. From then on, it's your job to learn day by day." Uncle Daniel made his move on the chess board.

"Can you believe it's going to be this Sunday?"

"I'm actually grateful for it being so soon. I'm afraid all this has been draining your father. I've never seen him like this." Uncle Daniel said sadly.

"I know and I feel terribly guilty. We've had a hell of a week, beginning with Ennis's case driving us crazy with unexpected twists and turns. It was like something out of a suspense movie."

"I heard on the news on Friday! Madelyn Webber is expected to pay a lot of money." Uncle Daniel interrupted.

"Yes. We did a lot of work to gain that and Dad was all over it. Not to mention our fight about Ennis." Jack lowered his gaze to the game.

"He told me. And I have nothing more to say to either you or him on the matter."

"Yeah. Still, I've been feeling bad about it."

"You shouldn't. This has more to do with the fact that he thinks his time is running out." The last words were a whisper and felt like a knife to his heart. The cruelty of reality was like the laugh of the devil.

"I know." Jack said, fighting back tears. "The doctor has increased his pain meds again. I hope he stays at home next week. Otherwise, I'll have to call Dr. Hall and ask her to forbid Dad from leaving the house."

"What did she say the least time you spoke with her?"

"To not let him suffer. To keep an eye on him and bring him to the hospital if the pain becomes too much even with the current medication."

"We'll be together, Jack. We'll make it together."

"It's my only consolation." Jack said covering his face with his hands. "I have to be strong in front of him, but it's coming and I know it."

"When the time comes… You know we have to let him go." Uncle Daniel's words were full with emotion and even without being able to see, Jack was sure he was crying too.

"I know, but I… I'm so… so tired of all this. Assuming control of the firm, the spring party, managing the estate… All this money and connections that had always been a silent part of my life – my_dad's_ part of my life – is now controlling everything else. I feel like I'm losing myself."

"Have you been to the psychiatrist lately?"

"Yes. But I just don't feel comfortable talking about my feelings. You know I never liked psychiatrists. I have horrible memories of all of the psychiatrists I used to see when I was little, because of my mother. I only saw this one because Dad needed one and I needed to understand his situation better."

"You should talk, Jack. There are people who need you, believe in you, and that includes your father. Don't let them down, Jack, yourself included."

"I'm trying, Uncle Dan. I'm trying."

"I'm here for you, Jack. Everything will be fine." Jack nodded silently.

But deep inside, he wasn't so sure.

* * *

Although the night was cold and the meteorologists had feared the coming of a surprising wave of snow to New York City, Ennis was feeling hot inside of his classic tuxedo. He'd only had to wear a tuxedo two times in his entire life. The first had been the night of his prom and the other was tonight. And if the first tuxedo had been rented in a cheap store, the one he was wearing tonight was purchased in one of the most exclusive boutiques in all of New York. Actually, Ennis suspected that they had only accepted his request because he'd gone with Elizabeth. _Lady Noris_ the vendors had called her that day. Elizabeth had told the older tailor that Ennis was her godson at the firm. And even though the man hadn't seemed that impressed, he had accepted the request nonetheless.

Ennis felt like a dress up doll. Elizabeth knew exactly what she wanted for him and took no interest in his opinions. She'd told him in no uncertain terms that this was _THE_ party of the year and that Ennis's reputation and future connections may depend on his first impression. Ennis didn't like it, but she'd quickly found a way to silence him.

"_Ennis__."_ She'd said in her "serious" tone. _"You may very well be the best young attorney of this firm, but if you don't project the right image, you'll go nowhere in the future. Every time they look at you, you want them to see the power and the confidence you have in court. You'll learn how to do that with time by yourself, but until then, let me manage these things for you."_

Ennis said nothing more and had kept his mouth shut, as Elizabeth told the vendors exactly how everything should be done. She even went with Ennis to the hair place on Sunday morning, where he had been surprised to see that she didn't care if his hair was long, as long as the curls were stylish. And when the nice girl with red hair and freckles had finished her work, he was pleasantly surprised with the results. He looked good. The look was a little more modern than he was used to and he couldn't remember ever seeing his curls this defined, but the result was definitely an improvement. He wasn't sure if he would ever use the products the red haired girl had sold him, but he was seriously thinking about using them from time to time.

Elizabeth seemed to approve the look too. She had also changed her haircut a little, giving up on the curls for one night and putting her hair up with an accessory adorned with silver pearls. Ennis noticed with surprise that she'd brought photographs of her gown and shoes with her, so that everything matched. The dress was nothing but impressive. Dark pink satin with a very beautiful cut, it was strapless with a heart shaped cleavage. Considering that Elizabeth was short, it probably wouldn't cover her knees, since it was really small. Elizabeth mentioned that it was a Chanel and Ennis didn't want to know how much it had cost. He had been in shock all week with how much money he was going to spend on his tuxedo, laughing to himself every time his conscience would remind him how much he could do at the ranch with all that money.

"Good evening, sir." A man said to him as he reached the big golden doors.

As usual, the Magnet spring party was traditionally held outdoors, but as a back-up plan, it was always in the hotel's gardens. In case anything happened, they could always continue in one of the big rooms of the hotel. Also, the guests would usually use the ball room to dance into the late hours of the night. Everything was meticulously planned, from the list of celebrity guests to security to the local press. Jack and Ennis had been meticulously careful too. They had planned to arrive separately, so that the press wouldn't photograph the two of them together. Jack had, until then, kept the press away from their relationship, mostly thanks to his reputation of being a lonely workaholic that he had gained over the last few years, but also because of the interest that the press had on the older Twist. Enrique was the "big fish" and that used to give Jack more space. But that was about to change, starting from this night on, and Ennis and Jack knew it well. They had asked Mary to help them in the future, but even the powerful detective could only control the selling of the pictures so far. If the magazines took a big enough interest, no amount of money would be enough to buy them directly from the paparazzi.

"Your name, sir?" The man asked Ennis, looking at his list.

"Ennis Del Mar." He said nervously, almost as if afraid that his name wouldn't be there.

"Go ahead in, sir." The man said with a smile.

"Thank you."

"I hope youl enjoy party, sir."

Ennis was overcome by the size of the room. This was supposedly the ball room and at this time of the evening, the area was almost empty of guests, which only made it look even bigger. The walls were golden and had mirrors on it, giving the illusion of never ending space in which to dance. Ennis walked slowly across the room, observing every detail of decoration and remembering that it all had been done by Jack and Elizabeth. When he was reaching for the outer door, he turned around in order to admire one last time the general splendor of the room and was surprised to discover that a huge picture of Enrique Twist had been placed on top of the door from which he had entered the room. It made sense, he thought, since this was also Enrique's retirement party.

He took one last look and moved outside. If he had been impressed with the ball room, he was _amazed_ with the garden. All around the immense field of green grass one could see the palm trees and the distant golf course. There was a fountain on his left decorated with petals of red roses. Near the stage with silver curtains and a sound system was a spot for the DJ. The stage also had a big photo of Enrique Twist. On his right, there were dozens of white circular tables. Each one of them had a specific name with a list of guests in the center and was decorated with flowers and candles, exactly like at some wedding receptions. Jack and Elizabeth had picked different animal's names for each of the tables. Near those tables were various other buffet tables. There was a separate table for cheese, fruit, snacks, and deserts., Ennis couldn't really figure out the rest of them all. Each one of these buffets was decorated with ice statues of different animals. Right in the middle of the area was a different table called _The lions_, where the members of the board would sit. Ennis was completely lost, observing the small details. There weren't that many people around yet, since it was sill a bit early.

"Honey, thank God you're here." Jack's voice made him turn in his direction even before he could understand the words.

Jack was wearing a tuxedo also and as far as Ennis could see, it was exactly like his own. He was still confused with the importance of spending hundreds of dollars on that, but he trusted Elizabeth to know more about these issues than him. His eyes moved quickly hover the form of his boyfriend's slim body. Jack was a very handsome man, but more than that, he was elegant and sexy. These were two qualities that Ennis knew he himself didn't naturally possess. But Jack was different from him in that respect. He could be drinking tea on the floor of Ennis's apartment dressed only in his boxers, and he would still look elegant and sexy. It was something in his manner of moving and speaking, probably the result of his upbringing.

Ennis's eyes returned to Jack's face and he was surprised to notice that Jack had his eyes fixed on his hair and his mouth was hanging partially open.

"You don't like it? It was Elizabeth's idea." Ennis said softly, still not touching Jack, as if expecting the approval of his looks first.

"I think you look like a Greek god, Ennis Del Mar." Jack said huskily as he moved to kiss Ennis on the lips.

If Ennis thought that his boyfriend was joking, he had quickly dismissed the idea the moment their lips met. Jack held him in a strong grip and one of his hands found his way to Ennis's ass. Ennis had been surprised but his protests were silenced by a demanding tongue begging for attention.

"You really like it, don't you, baby?" Ennis asked when they come up for air.

"God, you look amazing tonight. The curls are driving me crazy, honey." He said moving to pass his hand carefully through Ennis's hair and Ennis was glad nobody was really paying them attention because Jack looked like a kid with a new toy. "We may need to make a _quick_ visit to the bathroom during the party. I don't know if I'm going to be able to resist you tonight."

"Don't even think about it! This is your party. Your dad will be all over us and everyone would notice. So behave yourself, mister, because I have all intentions of taking you home with me tonight." Ennis and Jack blushed a little and then laughed at each other's reaction.

"You better, honey." Jack said admiring his tuxedo. "Jesus that hair! It should be forbidden."

"Jack, where is Elizabeth? We definitely can't be left alone tonight." Ennis said looking around.

"She's over there. Come with me."

They moved in the direction of the stage and Ennis tried not to laugh as Jack's hand found his ass again.

"Jack! Control yourself or I swear I'll avoid you all night."

"No, don't do that. It's just… you look delicious tonight. I guess it's my primal need to show everybody else that you're mine." Ennis stared at him, but he understood his boyfriend.

"_I'm_ the jealous one, but _you're_ possessive. What a pair we are!" Ennis said with a smile.

"I'm an only child."

"So was I and _my_ hand is not on _your_ ass."

"Only because _you_ don't have the nerve to do it. And my hand is no longer there anyway." Jack said.

"Here you are. I've been searching for Jack all over the ball room. I should have known he would be all over you before the party starts." Elizabeth said standing in front of them.

She was wearing the dark pink Chanel dress and it looked amazing on her. What she didn't have in height, she made up for with elegance and beauty. A Barbie doll had been the first thought that popped into Ennis's head the first time he had seen her and it was the same tonight. She didn't have the pencil thin shape of a model, but her curves were a nice change from that. It was common knowledge that she was a beauty and even Jack and Ennis would tell her regularly.

"You did on propose, Beth! The hair was genius." Jack said still looking at Ennis's hair.

"I think I finally understand what women feel when men are ogling their attributes. Jack's obsessed with my hair and seems to give no attention to what I say." Ennis said with humor to Elizabeth.

"That's because Jack becomes a little childish when he's annoyed, sleepy or really nervous. Thank God you've arrived. He was driving us crazy with his perfectionism, another of his many virtues."

"I bet he's more in the control freak mode. And I didn't know about the really nervous part, but I knew he did so when he was sleepy or annoyed. I find it funny, actually."

"Your funeral." Elizabeth said rolling her eyes.

"I'm still here!" Jack said, a little annoyed.

"Then let's check on the last details before everyone else starts to arrive." Elizabeth demanded.

"All right, all right."

The three of them moved around the place checking everything, although Ennis would sometimes find Jack still staring at his hair.

* * *

"I think I just saw Mr. Santos. Was he invited?" Ennis asked Jack.

The guests had almost all arrived and the garden was now filled with people and the typical sounds of happy conversation. There were a few well-known faces celebrities that were clients of the Magnet firm. Ennis didn't spare a glance to them since he had a bad opinion about most of them and, considering what he'd gone through in his professional life, it was understandable. Because he was Jack's date though, it was difficult to totally avoid the VIP guests.

"I think he was invited but couldn't make it." Jack said leaning closer so that Ennis could hear his response.

The music was beginning, as the DJ started to move around the electronic devices. It was still too early to serve dinner as Enrique and some of the members of the board hadn't arrived yet. The "Lions" table was almost empty, although some of its occupants would probably be arriving by now. Elizabeth had disappeared a couple of minutes ago, muttering something about Mary. They still weren't on the best terms, the two of them, but Elizabeth seemed to be less resentful already and Jack hoped that their spat would end tonight.

"Look. Mr. Dungeon is coming this way." Ennis said with a smile. "Prepare yourself for your fans, baby. He's got someone with him -- surely it must be his son." Jack answered with a short look and smile at the two men.

"How nice to see you both. I hope you're having a good time." Jack said politely.

"Wonderful, Mr. Twist. And I see you're in the company of the man of the moment. I'm still impressed with your work, although I'm sure it must partly be due to Mr. Twist too."

"It's a pleasure to see you again, Mr. Dungeon." Ennis said with a short nod of his head.

"Well, I would like to introduce to both of you my son, Jonathan Dungeon."

Jack and Ennis shook hands with the younger Dungeon, who they were told was 16 and appeared very. This was probably a result of his father's constant controlling. Jack sympathized with him immediately. The younger Dungeon reminded him of himself a few years ago -- a shy young kid with few real friends and way too much money. But maybe it was his imagination playing tricks on him.

They talked for a few more minutes and Jack was already embarrassed by all of Mr. Dungeon's praises. Ennis wasn't helping since he was telling Mr. Dungeon about all the things Jack had done in order to convince Madelyn Webber to sign the deal. Mr. Dungeon and everybody else were still surprised with her reaction, given that the real reasons were kept secret. All of their real work was actually unknown to Mr. Dungeon. And Ennis seemed to have a great time making up a convincing story about Jack's persuasive capacities. After a few more minutes of conversation, they finally left to the extreme relief of Jack.

"You know, I really need to have a serious conversation with your father. After all, Mrs. Campbell was telling the truth. She only did what she did because she wanted the work in Pennsylvania and she did it alone." Jack looked curiously at him. "I think I want to keep both of them working for me."

"Wait, you _want_ Mrs. Campbell to continue working for you?" Jack asked surprised.

"Yes. I understand what made her do what she did. Plus, I have other reasons."

"What other reasons? You know my father isn't going to be very happy about this."

"Think about it, Jack. Who can be more loyal than someone who owes you everything? She's a good woman, but she misses her family. What if I help her with that?"

"You've lost me there. If you help her get a job in Pennsylvania, then she doesn't get to be your very loyal secretary." Jack asked confused.

"Well, I was thinking more along the lines of helping some of her family come to work in New York."

"You're crazy and my father is going to be furious at you just for mentioning it." Jack moved closer. "Don't ever change." He whispered in Ennis's ear and the blond attorney smiled.

"Does that mean you're going to help me convince your father? I do intend to pay for everything…"

"Sure. Why not? It's a crazy idea with good intentions. I'll see what I can do, especially since I'm going to be the big boss by the end of the night."

"I'm beginning to like this _sleeping with the boss_ thing." Ennis whispered.

"I'll remember that next time I stop by your office, Del Mar."

Ennis laughed. He could easily play this game.

"Look. Elizabeth and Mary are coming this way. When is your father supposed to arrive? I'm getting tired of all these snacks."

"Soon, I hope. I'm pretty hungry myself."

"Good evening, gentlemen." Mary said happily.

"So you two finally made up then?" Jack asked directly.

"Yes. It was a stupid thing to argue about." Elizabeth said casually.

"You didn't think so two days ago. But I'm glad you changed your mind, Beth."

"I admit that I've been under a lot of stress because of this party. But I'm happy that it's over now."

"Actually I have a feeling it's only just begun." Jack said, just as his father arrived and the people around them started to clap.

* * *

Jack was feeling more and more nervous as the dinner reached its end. His father had given a nice speech at his arrival and the guests had eagerly clapped their hands at the sight of the delicious dinner that Jack and Elizabeth planned. Ennis was sitting at his side, showering him with smiles and attention, most likely because he knew how important this night was for Jack. But the bad feeling he'd felt all week in his gut about the party hadn't gone away.

"Everything ok?" Ennis asked concerned.

They'd spent almost all night in conversation with Natalie, Jack's cousin, who had arrived fashionably late to the party. Their table was called_t__he cats_, which Ennis had found predictable yet funny. Elizabeth, Mary, the other nominees and a couple of other young attorneys were also sitting at their table. Jack had chosen well, since they all knew each other rather well and this particular table was the closest to Enrique's.

"Yeah, I'm just nervous." Jack confessed only to Ennis.

"Everything is going to be fine. You'll see."

"All these people are going to work for me or I'm going to work for them. It's a huge responsibility and it's hitting me now stronger than ever."

"Jack? Honestly? Nothing is going to change. All these attorneys know that Enrique's retirement makes little difference to the firm. Why? Because major decisions are made by several people and really, the only thing that Enrique did alone was control the money and basically keep an eye on everyone. Surely you can do that. With your youth and intelligence, you'll find a way to make everything well and even innovate a bit."

"Thanks, honey." Jack knew they shouldn't kiss in front of all the others, so he let his hand rest on Ennis's knee. "But I'm more worried about my dad's final speech. I'm sure it's going to be difficult for me to hear him, knowing what everybody doesn't dare to dream."

A few minutes later, Enrique moved to the stage and people all around the garden tried to silence their conversations. It was an important moment, as Enrique was about to reveal the new member of the board and also make his retirement speech. Enrique remained in front of the microphone for another few seconds, waiting for the guests to become silent.

"Once again, let me tell you all, that it is a pleasure to have you here tonight." He said smiling a little.

Enrique looked tired and in the strong light of the stage, it was possible to see the dark circles under his eyes and the amount of white hair that he had gained near his temples. Ennis was surprised to notice that, since they weren't there a couple of weeks ago. Or maybe he just never noticed before. Either way, Enrique was a different man from when Ennis had first met him.

"The first Magnet spring party was the result of the successful year my father and his friends had in 1947. Of course, back then, it wasn't called that but the date was set. Every year from that time on, the members of the small firm would gather together and celebrate their successes. Over time, some clients made their way onto the guest list and soon the party became well-known among the affluent people in New York. Today, we celebrate another year of success and we also congratulate our new successful lawyers." Enrique smiled at the crowd.

"This year, for the first time, the firm will award a young associate with the chance of directly becoming a senior lawyer. The award, which my son coined the _Enrique Award_, will be given every two years to the most up and coming young attorney working with the senior lawyers. Jack, if you could please come up to the stage to present the very first _Enrique Award?"_

Ennis was surprised. Jack hadn't told him about this new award. Actually, as far as he could see, no one but Jack and Enrique knew about it. Ennis watched as Jack moved from his seat to the stage, while all eyes were fixed on him. Jack looked happy. This award was clearly a way to honor his father's name and recognize the work of a young associate whose work was important to the senior lawyers.

"Very well, without further ado, the very first _Enrique Award _will go to…" Jack opened the golden envelope. "David Spade."

Ennis smiled. He knew the man very well. David Spade had helped him with the Thurston case. He was an amazing researcher and his instincts as a lawyer were uncommonly good. He also had a few odd connections, which always helped him in his cases. It had been thanks to David's nerd friends that they had broken into Mr. Thurston's computer. David was also extremely excited about everything he did as a lawyer. Everyone could see his enjoyment and felt his excitement every time you spoke with him about work.

David moved to the stage, clearly shocked. Surely he had not expected such a thing. He looked as if he was about to cry when he shook hands with the Twists. The younger lawyer mumbled a few _thank yous_ and then moved away from the stage with Jack, who quickly returned to Ennis's side at their table.

"And now . . . the moment we've all been waiting for. The results for this year's board appointment."

"The nominees for this year's election were Bernard Vig, Andy Wallace and Elizabeth Noris. After serious consideration by all members of the board, it's been decided that the next member will be…" Enrique paused for suspense but most of the guests were sure of what the name would be.

"Elizabeth Noris." Enrique said and the crowd erupted in applause.

Elizabeth didn't fake surprise, as was usual for people to do in these moments. She saluted the other two lawyers and moved quickly to the stage were Enrique hugged her and gave her a small piece of paper. Jack told Ennis that the paper was more of a symbol of the power of decision she now had, the only difference between the members of the board and the other senior lawyers. That and the enormous amount of money and power the firm gave them, Ennis thought. Elizabeth moved to sit at _the lions_'s table and Enrique spoke again.

"And now my friends, the sad moment of goodbye." His voice betrayed him and everybody could see he was emotional.

"For years I've worked in this firm, first as a lawyer and then as its manager. All these years I worked for the sole propose of leaving this firm in better condition than when it was given to me. I worked to give it to my only son, Jack Twist, who has turned out to be a much better attorney than I ever was and I think he soon will be even better than his grandfather."

"I think we can all agree when I say that the firm needs a new leadership, with new ideas and an innovative attitude. And so, I'm proud to announce my retirement as the president of the board and supervisor of the firm. I'll continue my work, helping Jack in the near future, but I'm mostly saying goodbye to my work at the firm." The people all around Ennis had fallen into absolute silence.

"Please, welcome the new manager of the firm, our hope for the future, Jack Twist." And the whole room rose from their seats to give Jack a standing ovation, as Jack moved to the stage, thanking members of the board and VIP guests along the way.

Ennis observed from his table, proud for his boyfriend and Elizabeth, who were both clearly the stars of the night. He decided to congratulate them after all the excitement settled down. It would be much more logical since at the moment, they were surrounded by dozens of people. Even Mary and Natalie seemed to have disappeared in the middle of the crowd.

"Ennis?" The blond lawyer jumped from his seat. Standing directly next to him was Enrique, looking at him wearing a serious expression.

"Yes, Mr. Twist." Ennis said surprised.

"Can I have a word?"

"Yes, I was…" Ennis looked at Jack surrounded by people at the stage.

"It's a private conversation. Let's take this opportunity now that Jack is rather occupied." Ennis was surprised at how Enrique seemed to have escaped everyone's attention.

"Very well then." Ennis answered, curious about what was to come.

"Please follow me." Enrique said moving past the tables to the ball room.

Jack, still surrounded by a crowd of people, watched as his boyfriend and his father moved away from the garden. He knew what was about to come and cursed under his breath as he was still surrounded by some of the firm's most important clients.

His dad had tricked him once again.

* * *

"Del Mar, this is a very difficult situation for me." Enrique said as soon as they were both out of earshot from the party goers.

"I'm not sure what this is about." Ennis said honestly.

"Relax, it has nothing to do with work. I'm actually impressed with your performance, especially considering you've only been working for us for a little over three months."

"Then it's a personal issue -- about Jack." Ennis said.

"You're right. You see, I've promised my son that I would not speak with you about this, but I can't avoid it…" Enrique seemed to close his eyes and Ennis feared he would collapse in front of him.

"Mr. Twist, I'm sure this can wait. You look extremely tired and we both know you shouldn't even be here in the first place." Ennis moved a chair so that the older man could sit down.

"No, Ennis, this cannot wait. It's important." The younger lawyer noticed the change of tone and nodded.

"Ennis, if I asked you a couple of questions about your relationship with Jack, would you answer me truthfully?"

"Of course." Ennis said honestly.

"I thought so. Do you love my son?" Enrique's eyes were on him and Ennis didn't hesitate.

"Yes, very much."

"So you've come to terms with the fact that you're gay?"

"I didn't know until I met Jack, but yes."

"You really didn't know?" It was a personal question but it was also a chance to make the stubborn man understand.

"I was never one to have many romantic involvements. I was very dedicated to my work, so I suppose I denied that truth about me for as long as it was possible." Ennis was surprised by his own answer. He was being more honest with Enrique than he had been with himself for the last couple of months in which he had spent thinking about his sexuality.

"And what do you think about the future? Do you think there is one for you and my son?"

"But of course. Why else do you think I would be here answering all your questions about my sexual life? Surely you must know that I want nothing more than your approval." Ennis was getting annoyed, which was natural since the topic was a sensitive one.

"I understand, Ennis." Enrique said softly, but he was breathing hard, as if he had run a marathon and Ennis was concerned. "I have one last question. What do you think about children?"

Ennis was surprised with the question and his brain took another second to understand the true meaning of Enrique's words.

"Jack and I haven't really discussed them. I guess we may think about them after we get married."

Again Ennis was surprised with his answer but it made sense in his heart. It was the logical way of things, considering he was in love with Jack and wanted to spend the rest of his life with him. It felt a bit odd to Ennis that he was reaching these conclusions in the presence of Enrique Twist.

"We never talked about marriage either. I guess it's all too soon." Ennis added, confused by this whole conversation.

"I'm going be honest with you. Jack loves you deeply. More than he has ever loved anyone before. I'm his father -- I can see that." There was that determination in his eyes, the Twist determination.

"He told me so innumerous times and I believe him, for I feel the same way."

"Good. There is one problem though, Ennis."

"Money?" Ennis asked to the older man.

"That's important of course. But we have enough for two or three generations and Jack is an only child. And even you Ennis aren't what most people would call poor. My father gained his entire fortune working hard like you do. It would be hypocritical of me to say you're not good enough for my son."

"No, the problem is not that." Enrique added firmly.

"Then what is it?" Ennis asked, eager to know why Enrique had taken such a dislike to him and why this was all related to children.

"It's the Twist family name, Ennis. The Twist name and the firm. The two things I want more than anything in this life are for Jack to be happy and to have a son or a daughter eventually to carry on his name." Enrique took a deep breath. "Can you give him that?"

Ennis was surprised. So this has been the reason for all this confusion. Enrique thought he didn't love his son enough to settle down with him and have children. They would need to look into adoption or surrogacy, as some of Jack's gay friends had done. And if the expression on Enrique's face wasn't one of pain, Ennis would surely have laughed at that moment.

"Of course I want that too! I can't say we'll do it, since our relationship is so new and it's a major decision for two workaholics like us. But I know I definitely want a family. I lost mine when I was very young and being an only child too, I can understand how important that is. I'm in love with your son, Mr. Twist, and I can't picture myself with anybody else, but these plans may never happen. Life is complicated, and we're still very young."

"I'm not asking for anything more, Ennis." Enrique stood up and opened his arms to hug him, surprising Ennis.

"Thanks, Ennis. I'm happy to know I'm leaving him with you." Ennis was at a loss for words. The man hugging him was definitely not the senior Mr. Twist he had first met.

And suddenly, just as he had felt the strong arms of Enrique around him, he felt the weight of the older man's body against him and he realized that Enrique was falling. His arms circled the man and tried to move him to the chair.

"Mr. Twist?" Ennis asked worriedly. "Mr. Twist?" Ennis was practically shouting now.

And as he set the heavy body down on the chair, he noticed that Enrique Twist was unconscious.

* * *

**Author:**_I hope I had surprised you with this chapter! Two more and we reach the end, but don't worry a few weeks before I'll start with a sequel. Unfortunately I have very little time this year but I'll hope to manage a one week update!_

_**On the next chapter:**__ Finally we reach the end…_


	35. The loss of a beloved father

_**Author's Note: **__Thank you so very much for my friend _Kathy (**kittie8571**_) who is the Beta of this story! _

Thank you everybody for the reviews! Especially to **harryeron**,**style**,**janice dodd, joetheone, debra, grlewis, Ramona **and **xoxrelientkxox.**

* * *

**Chapter Thirty Five: The ****loss of a beloved father**

Jack paced around the hospital corridor, looking at the smiling faces of kids on the posters on the wall. Someone should tell the doctors and nurses that the advisements for public heath shouldn't have happy people on them. It was unnerving. Especially when you're feeling so nervous and worried about your loved ones.

He'd had the shock of his life when, upon entering the room where Ennis and his father had gone, he'd found his father unconscious in his boyfriend's arms. He had feared the worst, but after an exchange of words, Ennis had explained to him that his father had passed out on him. Jack understood immediately what was happening. The pain had been so severe that not even his father had been able to endure it.

The drive in the ambulance had been another unforgettable experience. The urge to arrive at the hospital was mixed with the frustration at the driver and the quick and organized work of the paramedics. Enrique had regained consciousness by then, but because of the pain, was mostly silent. He had told Jack that everything was alright and that he needed to forgive him once more. In that moment, Jack had confirmation of what had occurred between Ennis and his father. Enrique had confronted Ennis with his fears about the Twist legacy and had probably stressed himself out too much. But at the moment, none of that, which seemed to have infuriated Jack so many times before, had any value to him. He had quickly reassured his father that everything was alright between them and moved to keep him still.

The paramedics told him that he needed morphine and beyond that, nothing else. His body was losing its battle and the results were quite painful. It was just a matter of time. Jack had thought that after so many therapy appointments and conversations about the inevitable path of death his father was walking, he was ready for this moment. But he hadn't been. He most likely never would be. He cried on the shoulder of the female paramedic and stayed quiet for the rest of the time, waiting for his friends and his uncle to arrive. They had tried to follow the ambulance but it had been impossible because of the usual traffic in New York.

So there he was now, pacing up and down the corridor, feeling like a caged animal. He expected the doctors to give him news soon, but if he was honest with himself, he hadn't the smallest bit of hope. He could predict what was about to come.

"Jack!" Elizabeth said immediately as she entered the corridor.

She was followed by Ennis, who looked more worried than she had sounded and Mary, who looked more shocked than anything else. Jack remembered that Mary didn't like hospitals. She once spent Christmas in bed for fear of going to the doctor because of a nasty cold.

"Hi." Jack said in a low tone. He didn't want to be the one explaining how his father was, but he had no other choice.

"Mr. Dawson took control of the party and told the guests Enrique didn't feel well. Something about being too emotional. I didn't know he knew about Enrique's disease but he acted as if he did." Elizabeth told Jack softly.

"I called your Uncle Daniel and he's coming with Natalie, who stayed at the party." Ennis added.

"How is he?" Ennis asked worried.

"He's stable now. The paramedics said he needed morphine. I guess he had been hiding his real condition for a long time now. The pain was just too much tonight and he passed out."

Everyone knew what this meant and no one knew what to say to Jack. Ennis moved to stay close to him, but Jack seemed distant. He kept thinking about what could the conversation between Ennis and his father had been about before his father passed out. Maybe the only reason Ennis was still here was because of the whole situation that had happened before. These thoughts were driving him crazy and he couldn't stand to be next to Ennis without knowing, but this was definitely not the moment to deal with the future _Twist heir_ business. The older of the Twists was dying and the younger Twist was on the urge of a breakdown.

* * *

Twelve hours later, the doctors had finally given permission for someone to visit Enrique. Ennis and Elizabeth were still sitting near Jack and Jack was still avoiding any conversation with them. He felt like being alone and especially away from Ennis. At the same time, he wanted nothing more than to take consolation in Ennis's arms. He felt like he was losing it. Uncle Daniel had also arrived looking as desperate and as crazy as Jack, and he and Jack shared a couple of words. There could only be one visitor and, of course, it would be Jack's chance to talk with his father.

He entered the room shaking, completely aware that this could very well be the last time he ever spoke with his father. It was a perturbing thought, but helped him stay focused on reality.

"Dad?" Jack murmured as he reached the stark white bed. His father looked even more fragile in his green hospital gown, surrounded by the typical white and green of the hospital environment. It was the picture of a living nightmare for Jack, but he needed to be strong for his father.

"Jack, son, is that you?" Enrique asked softly. The doctors had explained to Jack that the morphine in his system would affect his mind and if they needed to increase it, he would soon lose the capacity to speak coherently.

"Yeah, it's me dad. How are you feeling?"

"I feel nothing, which is a relief." He forced a smile on his face and Jack fought back tears.

"It's good to hear your voice, Dad."

"It's good to hear you too. I bet I scared you to death, hmmm?"

"Yeah, you did."

"How was the party?"

"People were confused, but apparently Mr. Dawson told the guests that you got too emotional. They think you just fainted."

"Good, good."

"The doctors told me you should have been more careful, especially about your rest."

"They think I should have come here a month ago. They're crazy! I never would have stayed here for a month."

"They're right and you know it. I should have never let you convince me into this whole party. You needed your rest, not to be surrounded by snobbish people or working long hours to teach me about the financials at the firm."

"I needed to be with you, son, to show you the real world and how it's going to be for you from now on. I couldn't just stay in this hospital."

"I guess I understand, Dad."

"Listen, Jack. You must forgive me, son. I spoke with Ennis, as I'm sure you are well aware now."

Jack really didn't want to have this conversation now. His father was dying and he didn't want for their last words to be about this. He didn't want to know the results of that conversation and he didn't want to fight with his father about it. Yet he remained silent. He had no desire to deny his father anything at the moment.

"You were right. I shouldn't have talked with him, but only because it wasn't necessary. He loves you and everything else will come with time. I trust you to fulfill that dream of mine and I trust Ennis to make you happy."

Jack was shocked. _What had Ennis promised to his father? Or worse -- what had his father forced Ennis to promise?_ But he knew he would never discuss that with his father. This moment was for something else. He was happy to finally see approval in his dad's eyes, even if it had been at the very end. Even if it was the result of a dubious conversation. The happiness and the approval of that look was enough for Jack. It had been worth it because of this moment.

"Thanks Dad."

"Don't thank me son. I'm the one who needs to thank you for this whole life. You saved me…"

"Dad."

"It's the truth, son. You've save me from insanity and a life of miserable loneliness. I owe everything that I am to you. You were so important to me all these years."

"I did nothing dad. _You_ were the one who took care of _me_."

"And I was happy to do it, Jack. I'd take care of you no matter what."

"I know you will."

"I love you son." Enrique said slowly.

"I love you too."

And their conversation proceeded for the next hour with Jack and Enrique remembering the happy times when Jack was younger and things were different. They didn't talk about the future, since there was really no need. They were living in the moment now, celebrating the time when they still be with each other.

* * *

"Mr. Twist?" A short, bald man dressed in white asked him.

Jack recognized him as one of his father's doctors. He prepared himself for the worst, and was not surprised to learn that the worst was already happening. His father was dying.

"Did you speak with him?"

"Yes. He was actually very lucid." Jack sighed. "We said goodbye, since I don't really know if he will ever be this coherent again."

"I have news, although it isn't really news." The doctor said softly. "Your father's condition is stable, but this episode was the result of the progressing of the cancer in his system. We have confirmed that it had metastasized for at least a couple of months. This means that the cancer has progressed into other organs and tissues. Since your father has refused any further treatment, it has developed quickly and it' i now destroying various organs of his body. I'll save you from the details by saying that it's amazing that he lasted this long with the medication he had been prescribed. The pain must have been unbearable."

"He was very stubborn about what he wanted. He didn't want to be in the hospital."

"He can return to his home, Mr. Twist but you would need a fulltime nurse caring for him. Either way, I'm afraid it would be too stressful for his condition. He probably wouldn't make it alive."

"Has he been seen by Dr. Natalie Hall yet? She was more familiar with his condition."

"She's supposed to arrive in a few more minutes."

"She surely knows more about the previous tests and exams. He never let us know much about it."

"I'm sure it won't be necessary."

"Is he in any pain?"

"No, the morphine dose is fairly high. We don't want him to suffer but with this level of drugs in his system, his kidneys won't last long. We're in toxic levels already."

"How much longer?" Jack asked, remembering the distant memory of the day he had asked the same question to his father.

"No more than a day or two. I'm very sorry, Mr. Twist."

"Thanks." Jack mumbled. It was all he could do because the floor under his feet had disappeared and the world around him had been destroyed.

* * *

At 5 am the following day, Enrique Twist passed away. His kidneys finally gave up from the long fight of filtering drugs and his body shut down in the following minutes.

The doctors told Jack that he had felt no pain thanks to the morphine, which ironically had been its own silent killer. Jack had been glad for that little mercy. In fact, it was the only thing for which he had been glad during the time that followed Enrique's death.

Jack had quickly hidden himself away from the rest of the world at the Twist mansion. He wasn't in the mood to see anyone, not even his boyfriend or his best friend. Indeed, if it wasn't for Edward and Matilda, he probably would have starved to death during the days following Enrique's funeral. His mind refused to work with his body and Uncle Daniel was forced to take care of all the details related to the funeral all by himself.

The day of the funeral, the city was expecting bad weather. The sky was dark and the climate was cold. Soon there would be rain and the numerous attendants wore their overcoats and brought their umbrellas. The women wore black hats and the men, black ties.

Jack barely stood near the casket at the funeral reception the day before. He could easily remember the faces of all those people who came and went all day. Some of them Jack knew and had been friends of the family for years, others were mere strangers, with whom his father had worked for many years. He heard their condolences, hugged them as they shared with him another story about his father and shared with them salty tears. It had been even worse than on day his father had passed away. He was sure that a part of him died slowly that day, for he had never felt so much pain.

Matilda had helped him get dressed that morning and Edward was the one who bought the suit he was currently wearing. Jack felt like he had no willpower left, as if he was watching a horror movie, completely unable to act on what was happening. He felt almost like a puppet left forgotten on the ground. It was a devastating period of his life and yet he now felt nothing. However, he was looking at the current scene in front of him, of a funeral march and wishing it all to be over as soon as possible. Although he wasn't really sure of what was he going to do next.

The wind had started to blow as soon as they marched inside the cemetery. Jack found himself looking at Ennis, who was walking a few inches away from him. He was wearing a black suit like the rest of the men present. He looked sad and his eyes were focused on a distant, invisible point. Ennis had arrived early that morning at the Twist mansion. He'd walked inside Jack's room and comforted him the best he could, just as he'd done at the hospital the morning his father had died. Ennis hugged him and kissed him, murmuring words of affection. It was supposed to be comforting. Nevertheless, Jack felt nothing. No pain, no love nor sorrow. He had felt _nothing_.

Even now, Jack kept feeling he had nothing left to feel. And as his eyes moved back to the path in front of him, he remembered his father's words. Enrique, the fighter that he was and had always been, had convinced Ennis during their final conversation or Ennis had convinced him. Jack wasn't sure how it had been. Either way, Ennis had been forced to take a position about the _Twist_heir. And even about that, Jack felt nothing, probably because even if circumstances were different, he would still not know what to feel.

The only thing he truly knew was that everything around him was wrong. His life, his body, his mind, his feelings and even his whole existence was wrong. And that was the only thing on his mind as he walked with more than 30 people in the direction of the Twist crypt.

Uncle Daniel and his new girlfriend were there. The red haired man was clearly devastated, but he was no longer crying. Jack understood. He also had no tears left to cry. Uncle Daniel had bought one of biggest arrangements of flowers Jack had ever seen. Pink roses and white tulips, on a green perfect circle, with a note saying simply _love and friendship._ Jack wished he could still cry when he had seen it for the first time.

Elizabeth and Mary were there too. Mary was supporting her blond fiancée, who was sobbing loudly against her. Jack had noticed when Elizabeth had come to talk with him and had taken of his sunglasses that she wasn't even wearing make up. She was barely recognizable. Her hair was messy and her shoes didn't match her purse or her hat. Shocking, for someone who knew her well.

Edward and Matilda were right next to Jack. The couple was hugging each other and sharing words in a low tone. Jack knew they were worried about him. They were the closest thing to family he had next to Uncle Daniel and had known him since he was a little boy. Matilda always knew what was wrong with him, even before Jack sometimes, and he suspected that the same thing was happening now.

His cousin Natalie was next to them, leaving against Robert. She was crying like the little girl she normally looked like and Robert was trying not to do the same, but failing miserably. They had met only a few days prior but had become fast friends due to circumstances.

The Dawsons were there too. Samuel was crying, while Frederic comforted him, a hand on his shoulder. Sarah looked as if taken from a Dolce & Gabana fashion show. Her black clothes had been carefully mixed up with golden accessories.

The members of the board and Enrique's other friends from the firm were also there. The firm had also bought an arrangement of flowers, with an unexpected big note saying _law and love_. Probably a choice from Elizabeth.

Even some of Enrique's ex-girlfriends were present. It was the moment to say goodbye and show respect. No one was surprised with how many people wanted to do so for his father.

The priest walking in front of them reminded Jack once again that he had lost connection with one of the family's oldest roots -- Christianity. It was due to Jack's grandfather that the family had converted to Christianity. Jack's grandmother had converted when she married his grandfather and had been a very devoted woman all her life. Enrique had taught everything he knew about the church and the religion to Jack, but had never forced him to act on it. Through the years, Jack had understood why, from time to time, his father would disappear on Sunday mornings.

Personally, Jack had always felt that he couldn't follow a religion that didn't accept him as a homosexual or showed prejudice toward things that were new and against tradition. And so, as he followed the priest in front of him, he was left to wonder why he was following it now.

* * *

The rain was falling hard and Jack stood under his black umbrella shaking from the cold. Almost all of the people had gone and he was taking the opportunity to run from the worried eyes of Edward and Matilda and all the people who wanted to have one more final word with him. He had only taken a few steps away from them when someone put a hand on his right shoulder, forcing him to turn back.

It was Ennis.

"How are you feeling, baby? Do you need anything?" His voice was soft and his eyes showed the worry of a lover. His curly blond hair was perfectly protected under his own blue navy umbrella.

"No, I don't need anything." He realized that he and Ennis hadn't really spoken these past few days. Ennis had no idea what Jack was thinking.

"Are you going home now?"

"Yeah, I guess." Jack said, feeling weird. Looking at Ennis now was like looking at someone he had known a long time ago instead of his significant other.

"I'll let you rest then. I'm sure Edward and Matilda will take good care of you. I'll stop by tomorrow. That is, unless you want me to go with you."

"There's no need for that."

"Of course there is. I want to help you with this."

"You can't!" Jack snapped at the blond lawyer. Jack couldn't explain why he was acting so irrationally, he wasn't feeling like himself anymore. He was numb.

"Jack, please don't push me away." Ennis said softly. "I know we'll make it through this together. I _know_ we will."

"No, Ennis. Actually, I think it might be better if we don't see each other anymore." Jack was almost as surprised at this statement as Ennis was. He hadn't intended to break it off with Ennis in the middle of his father's funeral, but somehow, the timing felt right.

"What? What are you talking about?" Ennis asked, surprised by this statement from his lover.

"I feel _nothing_, can you understand that?" Ennis looked at Jack, confused. "The Jack you knew is dead, Ennis. There's nothing left for you here." He tried to move away from Ennis, but Ennis would not allow him to pass.

"Jack, you're devastated, I get that. You're not seeing things clearly." Ennis had a terrified look on his face.

"There's nothing to see. I need some time away. Away from everyone, including you." Jack looked at the horizon. "I know that I love you. Love like the love I felt for you doesn't die. But at this moment, I'm simply incapable of feeling anything. Not even love for you."

"Jack…" Ennis felt physically sick and tears were threatening to fall.

"I don't know myself anymore. How can I go on? What am I going to do next? Am I ever going to survive this?" Jack continued, almost as if he was talking to himself and not carrying on a conversation with his (now former) lover.

"Please Jack. Let me help you. I know I can help you." Ennis sounded so desperate as he held one of Jack's hands in his own.

"No, Ennis. I'm not such a monster to put you through this. How can you want to be with someone who knows nothing? Who feels nothing?"

"Let me at least try!"

"You're a good man, Ennis. I won't do that to you."

"I love you, Jack." Ennis was sobbing and Jack was surprised to feel tears running down his cheeks. He hadn't been able to cry all day.

"You won't anymore if you stay with me." Jack whispered.

"Please, don't…" Ennis said.

"I'm sorry, Ennis. I may not feel it now, but I know I will."

"Jack…" Ennis held him against him, as if afraid to let him go. "I love you so much."

"Goodbye, Ennis." Jack said, walking away in the direction of the exit, but his eyes kept searching for Ennis as if betraying his determination.

Edward and Matilda followed him quickly. Matilda spared a worried look at Ennis and Edward nodded their goodbyes. Ennis hoped they would take good care of Jack.

"I'll wait for you, Jack. I swear…" Ennis murmured to the wind.

And as he stood there next to that tree, umbrella forgotten in his right hand, rain falling against his face and mixing with his tears, Ennis promised himself that his relationship with Jack Twist couldn't possibly be over. Because in his heart, he was sure. He was certain that there was no one else for him. There was no love stronger than this.

End of part one

* * *

Author:_ Don't kill me, please! I hope I'll post the sequel next Thursday. And to make it up to all of you I'm also posting the rewritten chapters eleven, twelve, thirteen and fourteen today. __**Whit a new slash scene on chapter eleven! Go read it...  
**_

_This is your last chance to let me know what you thought about this story!_

_**Thank you for all your support. **_

_**Please keep reading with the sequel Leadership and Love under my name!**_

Or for sooner updates and better feedback on your opinions check on my LJ - litania87./ .


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